


Son of Quartz

by ThatSameSong



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-03-04 11:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 101,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13364118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatSameSong/pseuds/ThatSameSong
Summary: Thousands of years ago, an alien race known as "Gems" sought to colonize the Earth.  Finding the planet bursting with resources and life, they instead decided they'd be better off integrating themselves.  The Diamonds established what came to be known as "The Diamond Republic", a Gem-controlled empire that eventually broke off into a series of Gem-controlled settlements.  In one such settlement known as "The Quartz Kingdom", a teenage boy arrives claiming to be the son of the kingdom's deceased queen Rose Quartz.  But before he can take his rightful place as leader of the Quartz Kingdom, he must prove himself as both a human and a Gem.





	1. Steven Quartz Universe

A lone Pearl passed into the long hallway, her footsteps light on the polished rose-pink floor. She moved with purpose and grace, her slender body and elegant way of dress making her look like an exotic bird. Emblazoned upon the chest of her outfit was the image of a pink rose with a gemstone at the center.

A number of things were odd about this particular Pearl, least of which being that she was simply called “Pearl”. If one were to engage her in conversation—very highly recommended—they would find her to be insightful and knowledgeable in a way quite unusual for a Gem of her status.

Pearl was following this precise line of thought as she walked. She was considering how different she was from regular Pearls. Perhaps inside all Pearls were similar, but they projected an image of quiet servitude and devotion that had become the norm.

But norms were largely ignored in the Quartz Kingdom.

She at last reached the very end of the hallway. She found herself before the somewhat vague outline of a massive oval-shaped door. The door itself was twice the size of Pearl.

She lightly passed her hand over a green triangle to the right of the door. At this gentle touch, the door hastily and silently retracted into the wall. Pearl stepped over the threshold, the door sliding shut behind her.

Pearl had seemingly entered some kind of skyscape. The familiar rose-pink floor reflected an expanse of fluffy clouds overhead. This landscape of clouds and pink seemed to stretch out into the distance like an unexplored dream world.

At what might be considered the “end” of the room—although behind it was what appeared to be an equally endless expanse—a glass coffee table stood before a bright pink sofa.

A Gem of larger and more intimidating proportions was lying upon the sofa, her arms crossed and her legs dangling over the left armrest. The visor she occasionally wore over her eyes was gone. She'd stopped wearing it regularly over twenty years ago, but she still thought it looked cool.

Pearl fell to one knee before the coffee table, bending her head as a sign of respect.

“My queen,” she said.

Garnet—ordained queen of the Quartz Kingdom—turned her head.

“Yo,” she said.

Pearl slowly rose, her head still bent in respect. Garnet—much like their former queen—had given up on correcting this behavior. It seemed to make Pearl happy, even if it was completely unnecessary.

“I have news from the Lazuli Lands,” she said.

Garnet tapped the side of her head.

“Let me guess,” she said. “They know who we're looking for, but they aren't going to tell us anything.”

Pearl nodded regretfully.

Garnet sat up, hunching over with her arms draped over her legs. She hadn't needed her future vision to figure out Lapis Lazuli's angle.

“We need to find her,” she said.

That was obvious, but Garnet felt it needed to be reiterated for the umpteenth time. It had been months. Months with absolutely nothing, then a valuable tip fell right into their lap. Unfortunately, that tip led them towards someone they would have rather not dealt with.

“What does she want?” said Garnet.

Pearl frowned bitterly. They both knew what Lapis wanted.

“The same thing she always wants,” she said.

Garnet stared at her lap. She was getting tired of this. The running in circles, the endless negotiations. Garnet was especially tired of getting absolutely nowhere, despite all the advantages they had.

Pearl stepped a little closer, suddenly worried. She didn't like the look on Garnet's face.

“You're not considering it, are you?” she said.

Garnet's head snapped up.

“No,” she said.

Pearl believed her. Garnet might not be Rose Quartz, but Pearl still respected her as a decision-maker. She knew a reckless leader when she saw one. Neither part of Garnet could be categorized as anything close to that.

“Any news from Amethyst?” said Garnet.

Amethyst had set out with two of the Rubies a couple of weeks ago. Even though Garnet wanted to do it herself, Amethyst insisted she could handle it. It had been quite the battle to convince Amethyst to take two Rubies with her.

Pearl shook her head.

“She hasn't found anything useful,” she said. “If she's following the path I recommended, she should be in the Agate Empire by now. I've messaged Holly Blue to warn her of their imminent arrival.”

Garnet doubted Amethyst would find anything in the Agate Empire. It seemed the most obvious place, yet the odds of there being anything substantial were slim.

Nevertheless, the visit might do Amethyst some good. Although Holly Blue would be less than welcoming, the environment was sure to have a positive effect. It was rare that Amethyst was able to take some time off and hang out with Gems who understood her on a deeper level.

“Is there anything else?” said Garnet.

Pearl considered, mentally rehashing the day's correspondence. Nothing pressing came to mind. It was a pretty ordinary day in the Quartz Kingdom.

“No, my queen,” she said.

She bowed somewhat dramatically. She'd given up on expecting Garnet to formally dismiss her.

“I must attend to some things,” she said. “Please excuse me.”

Still bowing in silent reverence, Pearl backed out of the room. The door seemed to pop back into existence, sliding open as she approached.

After she crossed the threshold and the door slid shut behind her, Pearl straightened up. She had a long day ahead of her. Lower level paperwork to sign, messages to send, training exercises to plan. But Pearl wasn't dreading any of it. She liked keeping busy. It kept her mind off of Rose Quartz.

How could a leader so dependable and flawless have left them, have left _her_? Pearl thought she would never understand. She would never fully accept that her beloved Rose Quartz was gone.

But she couldn't think about those things. She had to focus on her first task of the day: morning training with the newest flock of future knights. Pearl had great hopes for them. If they shaped up in a hurry, they might be the first humans to surpass her expectations.

Pearl entered the main hall. She expected it to be deserted this early in the morning, but she noticed someone seated on one of the immense benches.

It was Jamie, one of the kingdom's many messengers. He mostly delivered packages and mundane correspondence between the humans of the kingdom. This was actually the first time he'd been inside the castle. He was staring at the high ceilings and studying the baffling gem tech all over the walls. Jamie seemed particularly interested in the massive holo-screens and floating artificial gemstones.

Pearl couldn't fathom why Jamie would be there. He'd never delivered anything to the castle before. That wasn't really needed.

“Can I help you?” she said.

Jamie tore his eyes away from the small floating green triangle in the middle of the room. He appeared nervous, although he tried to mask it with confidence.

“I have a message,” he said.

Pearl raised her eyebrows.

“I believe you are a messenger,” she said.

Jamie blushed.

“Well, it's more than a message,” he said. “I, um.... You see, there are some humans who want to see you. All of you in fact.”

Pearl wondered why any humans would request an audience with the entire castle staff. That seemed a bit excessive for her taste. Not to mention highly impractical and inconvenient. It was early in the morning after all.

“I'm afraid we're all very busy,” said Pearl. “Tell them to come back later.”

She waved her hand. A rather curt dismissal, but she really didn't have time for pointless discussions. There were five students waiting patiently for her instruction.

Jamie jumped up.

“They really need to see you!” he said. “They say it's very important. They're, um, well...”

Pearl was heading towards the warp pad. She was barely listening to Jamie's incoherent babbling. Humans could be very tiresome in her experience. Pearl had tried her best, but she didn't really understand Rose Quartz's fascination with them.

Then Jamie blurted it out, an energy coming to his voice. He shouted it, his words echoing off the high walls and ceiling.

“One of them says he's Rose Quartz's son!”

Pearl froze, one foot against the base of the warp pad. It had been a long time since she'd heard anyone speak that name. Pearl herself didn't dare say it. Saying it out loud would have made Rose Quartz's death too real for her. But now it was out in the open. Pearl was so stricken by it that she almost didn't comprehend everything else Jamie said.

She turned around to face Jamie. She looked as if she'd been slapped.

“What did you say?” she said.

Jamie took a step back. He appeared to have exhausted his courage.

“He..he says he's Rose Quartz's son,” he said.

Pearl's hands shook. She didn't know what was going on. It was like a joke, but an unbearably cruel one. She felt sure it was a joke, some kind of utterly heartless jest the likes of which would have disgusted Amethyst.

“That's impossible,” she said.

Her composure was gone and she didn't think she could find it again.

Jamie gestured to the entrance.

“He's outside with his dad,” he said. “Should I tell them they can come in?”

Pearl clutched at her midsection, her fingers digging into the soft fabric. She found some kind of comfort in touching her own body. She knew she was real, that she was solid. Therefore everything around her must be real. It was just everything else—Jamie, the information, her own emotions—that felt fabricated.

Some sanity returned to her, prompting her to speak.

“Yes, we'd very much like to see them,” she said.

So this was what humans meant by “a dreamlike state”. Pearl didn't much care for it.

 

* * *

 

  
Three eyes studied the two unexpected guests with candid curiosity.

The boy was of the most interest, but Garnet was not looking at him exclusively. Her gaze would roam for a moment, then settle upon the boy's father for a few seconds. She took in his hair, his nervous smile, and his awful taste in sweaters.

He'd introduced himself as “Greg Universe”. That couldn't possibly be his real name.

Pearl was standing in the corner, her arms crossed and her face deceptively impassive. She was trying to present herself as the dedicated and unbreakable Gem Rose Quartz had admired her for being. But the illusion wasn't holding up too good on her end. Pearl couldn't bring herself to look at the boy.

Apparently his name was “Steven”. What a silly—and very average—name. Pearl would have laughed if it hadn't been so tragic and cruel.

Greg broke the silence. This was a nice gesture on his part, as no one else seemed up to it.

“We, um, don't mean to intrude,” he said.

Pearl's eyes shot to him like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.

“Regardless, it seems you have chosen to do just that,” she said.

Garnet raised a hand. It was her way of telling Pearl to calm down. The room was already thick with bad vibes. She didn't need enhanced perception to tell her that most of them were coming from Pearl.

She addressed Greg. She was actually smiling, all three of her eyes filled with motherly softness. She seemed to have taken to Greg within moments for some reason. Seeing as it often took a while for Garnet to connect with most humans—they tended to be put off by her brutal honesty—this was quite telling in itself.

“It's fine,” said Garnet. “The Quartz Kingdom is a place of peace and prosperity for both Gems and humans. It's what Rose Quartz wanted.”

Pearl pressed a hand to her mouth and shut her eyes. She had again been forced to think about that horrible day. The day she realized the kingdom would have to go on without Rose. How could she love this planet or this kingdom as Rose had, now that Rose had been taken from her? It hadn't seemed possible then and Pearl still didn't see it as plausible.

Steven finally spoke up. Despite his mere fifteen years, he wasn’t what one would call “scrawny”. He was about an inch or so shorter than his father. A lot of things about him had caught Garnet's attention, chief among them his hair. The tube-like curls were pulled back into a medium-length ponytail.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I never got to meet my mom, so I don't know what she would want me to say. But I wanted to see everything she built. Dad talks about her like she was some kind of goddess and now I kind of understand why.”

Garnet reached across the table and took Steven's hand in her own. He felt so real. She felt his heartbeat, the warmth of his skin, the pure energy of his being. It was exhilarating to Garnet, much like the first time she'd laid eyes on the rebellious Rose Quartz.

“Welcome home,” she said.

All three of her eyes were filling with tears. Garnet had been keeping herself together for Pearl's sake, but feeling Steven's hand in her own did something to her. She was being overwhelmed by memories. Memories of the confident Rose Quartz taking her hands, giving her that beautiful smile of pure kindness, telling her that she was free to figure out who she was. Garnet had never properly thanked Rose for everything she'd done.

Pearl jumped forward, gesturing wildly at Steven with a look of disbelief.

“You can't possibly believe this!” she said. “Really Garnet, what on Earth had gotten into you? This human cannot possibly be any relation to our Rose. Just look at him.”

But Pearl had been looking at him for quite some time, stealing the occasional glance whenever she wasn't being observed. She had looked directly into Steven's eyes and seen something. Something she couldn't put into words. A sliver or a glint of something that reminded her of a certain pink-haired Gem. But she'd pushed it to the very back of her thoughts, telling herself it was nothing but her desperate imagination.

Steven stood up abruptly.

“I _am_ related to Rose Quartz,” he said. “I'm her son.”

Pearl waved off his ridiculous claim. She'd officially had enough. It was always like this for Pearl. Getting her hopes up, clinging to the image of Rose as if thoughts alone would bring her back. Pearl was not going to go through this again, not as long as her loyalty to the kingdom and her position remained.

“What are you even saying?” Pearl said. “You're...you're some kind of trick.”

She turned to Garnet appealingly.

“Can't you see?” she said. “It's a trap. I think we both know what Gem is behind this awful ruse.”

Steven grabbed his shirt in both hands. He wasn't sure what was going on, especially why Pearl was so dead set on denying his identity. But he knew how to prove it. With one triumphant yank, Steven pulled his shirt up past his belly.

“If I'm not related to Rose, why do I have this?” he said.

Pearl screamed. She stumbled back, groping desperately for the wall behind her. She wanted to look away, but her gaze was trapped upon the bizarre sight before her. That couldn't be her imagination. Pearl's mind would never create such a shocking image.

The pink gemstone stood out against Steven's skin. It looked almost as if it had been placed, but the gemstone clearly belonged to the flesh around it. The gem lay exactly where Rose’s had been. Pearl of all Gems should have known. She’d traced her fingers around that gemstone, had trailed her hand across it when Rose asked her to check it for cracks.

Steven immediately yanked his shirt down, his cheeks reddening with shame.

“I didn't mean to upset you,” he said. “But I'm Rose's son. I have her gem and everything.”

Pearl collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor.

Garnet sprang up from her seat and rushed over to Pearl. Perhaps insisting Pearl attend their meeting had been a mistake.

Greg got up from his seat, but he didn't rush over. He was in brand new territory and he wasn't sure he should interfere.

“Is she okay?” he said.

Garnet scooped Pearl up in her arms.

“She'll be fine,” she said. “She needs rest.”

Garnet unceremoniously threw Pearl over her shoulder like a ragdoll. She brushed her free hand against a semi-hidden panel next to the entrance. A tiny screen materialized above the panel. Garnet waited until a familiar face appeared on the screen.

“Oh hey,” said Navy. “Do you need something?”

Navy—as she was named by Amethyst—was one of the Rubies they had “on staff”. Like the other Rubies, she was actually part of the castle's modest security team. Garnet didn't like asking them to do things for her, but she had no choice.

“I need you to take these two humans to the guest bedroom,” said Garnet.

Navy gave Garnet a double thumbs-up and a big smile.

“Will do!” she said.

Garnet thanked her, then brushed her hand over the panel again. The screen disappeared at her touch. Garnet turned back to Greg and Steven. She had a feeling they were both overwhelmed, but she didn't have time to get everything in order for their benefit.

“If you need anything, ask one of the Rubies to come get me,” said Garnet.

She left the room, Pearl still slung over her shoulder.

Steven stood there long after Garnet left, a guilty look on his face.


	2. The Garden

Navy greeted Greg and Steven with a big grin. After what they'd just been through, it was nice to see a wholly cheerful face.

“Right this way,” she said. “You can call me Navy.”

She said her name with pride. Each Ruby had their own bedroom and their own stuff, but their names were their most prized possessions.

As per Garnet's request, Navy led Greg and Steven to the guest bedroom. The creation of such a superfluous room—Gems didn't need to sleep after all—had been Rose Quartz's idea. It was one of the most unused rooms in the whole castle.

“So how long have you lived here, uh, Navy?” said Greg.

Navy skipped a little ways ahead, humming a cheerful tune to herself.

“Oh, a little over seventy years,” she said. “A bunch of us Rubies were banished from the Diamond Republic. We had no idea where to go until Rose Quartz found us. Eyeball didn't want to come here, but Rose convinced her it was for the best.”

Steven was bringing up the rear, a hotdog-shaped duffel bag under one arm and a cheeseburger backpack on his back. He was lost in thought, replaying the events of the last few minutes in his head. He knew he'd made a bad impression. Things had gotten off to a horrible start and Steven was convinced it was all his fault. He had to fix things, but he wasn't even sure what it was he had to fix.

“Oh?” said Greg. “If you don't mind me asking, why were you banished?”

Navy's cheerfulness was surprisingly resilient. Her smile didn't so much as slip at Greg's question.

“Failure to follow orders correctly,” she said. “We messed up one too many times, so they decided they didn't want anything to do with us anymore.”

She whirled around and grinned at Greg.

“But this place is way more fun,” she said. “We get to listen to music and play games and even talk about our feelings.”

She walked backwards into a wooden door. The door looked out of place when compared to all the Gem tech around it. It was the only human-sized door Greg and Steven had seen so far. All the others seemed to have been made with a giant woman in mind.

“This is it,” said Navy.

She turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. She bowed and gestured into the room.

The room looked relatively normal. No Gem tech, no signs of anything magical or overly advanced. It was just a bed, a closet, a table, and another door that hopefully led to a bathroom. It was so different from the rest of the castle that it was like walking into another dimension.

“Thanks,” said Greg.

Navy beamed happily.

“I've gotta get back to work,” she said. “Yell if you need anything.”

She skipped off down the hallway. There was a high chance she'd get lost—Rubies always did—but Navy would find her way in the end. The latter was another thing Rubies always seemed to do.

Greg threw his suitcase on the bed. He was exhausted. The car trip had been nightmarishly long. Greg was surprised the van had survived the whole thing. Coupled with that stressful meeting with Garnet and Pearl, Greg was ready to throw himself into bed and forget about everything.

On the contrary, Steven was a lot more awake. He dropped his duffel bag and his backpack, but he didn't sit down.

“Hey champ, mind if your old man dozes off for a while?” said Greg. “I'm kinda tired.”

Steven leaned against the wall, arms crossed and brow furrowed.

“Sure Dad,” he said. “Do whatever you want.”

Greg hesitated. This was what he'd been worried about. They'd walked into a world neither of them were used to. Greg might have understood Rose, but he couldn't begin to comprehend all of this magic and Gem stuff. He didn't know if anything he said could help.

“It'll be okay,” Greg said.

That seemed to do the trick, at least to an extent. Steven smiled and nodded at his dad, his spirits visibly lifting ever so slightly.

“I know,” he said.

Greg threw the suitcase off the bed and climbed in. The room was surprisingly well-kept for one that was hardly used. No dust or filth. Even the bed smelled like the covers had been changed less than a week ago.

Despite his worries, Greg easily drifted off to sleep in the cozy little bedroom.

Steven watched Greg sleep for a moment. He worriedly chewed his bottom lip. Without Greg or Garnet, he was kind of lost. Steven finally confronted the fact that he was in an unfamiliar place surrounded by strangers.

Nevertheless, nothing ever got done by standing around. Steven wasn't in the mood to sleep or just stand there in a state of self-pity. He decided to explore. This was where his mother had spent a great deal of her life after all.

Steven left the guest bedroom. The hallway before him was intimidating, but he managed to brave it. He had some vague idea of where some things were. He had been paying a little bit of attention when Navy was leading them there.

As Steven had expected, the next hallway he came to was lined with doors. They were all sporting that rose symbol he'd seen pretty much everywhere. He had a feeling he was going to be seeing that symbol a lot more the longer he stayed in the Quartz Kingdom. The symbol filled Steven with comfort. It was like his mother had written “Rose Quartz was here” all over the kingdom.

Remembering the path they had taken, Steven traversed two more hallways until he came to a warp pad. Until that day, he'd never used one before. Steeling himself, Steven reluctantly stepped onto the warp pad.

He cried out as it activated. The flash of light as the warp pad activated stunned him a little. He tried to hold onto something like he would in an elevator, but there was nothing.

When Steven opened his eyes a second later, he was standing in the main hall. He was disoriented for a moment, his mind still somewhere upstairs. Steven stepped off the warp pad, stumbling and dazed. He was going to have to get used to that.

Once he more or less recovered, Steven looked around. He saw the massive doors him and his father had come through, as well as a few other doors leading to unknown places. One of them led to the tiny meeting room.

Steven spotted a door near the back of the room that he hadn't seen before. He headed over to it, believing it might lead to a kitchen or perhaps a living room area. He jumped when the door slid open at his approach. Steven poked his head out, his quizzical expression turning to awe.

The door had slid open to reveal a beautiful garden. Rows of gorgeous flowers stretched out as far as Steven could see, as well as clusters of moss and vines. The flowers mostly consisted of roses, particularly of the red and pink variety. The ground was littered with wayward petals and leaves.

At the center of the garden, there stood a massive cherry blossom tree. Hanging from the tallest branch was a brown leather bag with a pink shield and rose insignia on it.

Awestruck, Steven stepped into the garden. He felt as if he was trespassing on some kind of beautiful sanctuary. He was irresistibly drawn towards the tree that stood at the center of it all. It called to him without a voice, pulling him deeper into the breathtaking escape he had found.

“Excuse me!”

A girl appeared from seemingly nowhere. She stood to the side of the tree, looking as surprised to see Steven as he was to see her. Her long black hair was tied back in a braid that cascaded down her back like a snake.

Steven blushed and smiled apologetically at the sight of her.

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn't think anyone else was here.”

The girl reached up and grabbed the dangling strap of the bag. She gave it a tug, pulling the bag from its resting place.

“It's okay,” she said. “I just came out here to train.”

Steven noticed the sheathed sword attached to the girl's belt. The sheath had that familiar pink shield and rose insignia emblazoned on it.

“You're a soldier?” he said.

The girl laughed. She reached down and dramatically unsheathed the sword. She held it up and struck a cheesy action hero pose.

“Connie Maheswaran, defender of the Quartz Kingdom!” she said.

She blushed, quickly returning the sword to its place. Connie sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, smiling nervously.

“After I finish my training,” she said. “I'm too young to be an actual knight.”

She carefully sat down on the ground, leaning her back against the tree. She stared up at the cherry blossoms above her. From that angle, they looked like a fluffy pink cloud hovering above her head. The sight was soothing.

“Some day, I'm going to be the best knight the Quartz Kingdom has ever seen,” she said.

She turned to look at Steven, realizing she hadn't really allowed him to introduce himself.

“What about you?” she said.

Steven sat down beside her. He wondered how much he should tell her. Connie was a human, but she'd obviously spent a lot of time around Gems. Maybe she'd understand his dilemma better than anyone else in the castle. For better or for worse, Steven definitely needed to talk to someone.

“You wouldn't believe me,” he said. “I'm not sure I believe me.”

Connie smiled encouragingly.

“It can't be any crazier than anything I've been through,” she said. “Do you know how hard it is for a human to compete with Gems?”

Steven suddenly forgot all about his problems. He turned to look at Connie with legitimate interest.

“You had to fight Gems?” he said.

Connie shrugged as if it was no big deal, but she couldn't say she wasn't proud of herself. Excelling in this line of work was no joke for a Gem, even more so for a human.

“Pearl didn't want to take me on as a student,” she said. “She didn't think a human would do well on the battlefield against Gems.”

She raised a fist to the sky, her eyes alive with triumph.

“But I wouldn't give up,” she said.

Steven noticed that Connie's hand was bandaged. There were several faded scars across both of her arms. She looked as if she'd recently charged into a barrage of thorns. But she was smiling, her spirit not at all diminished. Steven was in awe.

“You're amazing,” he said.

Connie lowered her hand, blushing furiously.

“Uh, thanks,” she said.

She grinned.

“Okay, that was my story,” she said. “Are you going to tell me yours?”

Steven reluctantly told her everything. He started with his life, describing his interesting childhood and what it was like being raised by Greg Universe. He told her about the car wash and how his dad taught him to play guitar. Steven explained everything he knew about Greg's past as a former rising star and how he'd once aspired to be one himself.

Then came the more complicated stuff. Steven told her about Rose Quartz, about how his dad had been honest with him from the beginning. He talked about the few pictures he had of her, about how his dad never really talked about Rose. Steven told Connie about how he sometimes felt that Rose had never really existed. He knew so little about her that she could have been anyone.

“But what Dad did tell me was how much she loved her kingdom,” said Steven. “She said it was the most wonderful thing she'd ever created. A sanctuary for lost Gems and humans alike.”

He frowned. He didn't like being reminded just how little he knew about Rose Quartz. It seemed unfair. He had Rose's gemstone in his belly, yet Steven didn't have a firm grasp on her character. It was almost like wearing a total stranger's appendage as his own.

“I wish I knew why she made this place,” said Steven. “I wish I knew what kind of person she was.”

Connie looked sympathetic for a second, then her expression shifted to confusion. She frowned.

“Wait, you don't know anything about this place?” she said. “You don't know why your mother came here in the first place?”

Steven shrugged.

“We didn't learn much about Gem history in school,” he said. “I know the Gems come from outer space and everything, but that's about it.”

Connie appeared hesitant. There was something on her mind, but it wasn't something she necessarily could share with Steven.

“There's something really really important you need to know about Rose Quartz,” she said. “But I don't think I should be the one to tell you.”

Steven looked at her in puzzlement. He had a thousand questions about Rose he wanted to ask someone, preferably Garnet. However, it hadn't until that moment occurred to him that he might not like the answers.

“Should I ask Garnet?” said Steven.

Connie looked relieved, as if Steven had taken a burden off her shoulders.

“Or Pearl,” she said. “Pearl probably knows more about your mom than anyone else in the kingdom. Even more than Garnet.”

A thunderous roar sent Steven's heart into his throat. He jumped up, looking around as if he expected a ferocious beast to emerge from somewhere.

A pink lion appeared from behind a wall of foliage. He regarded the two humans with very little interest. He appeared more interested in a nearby collection of vines. The lion walked over to them, tilting his head in curiosity. He started to bat at them with one enormous paw.

Connie hadn't moved. She'd glanced at the lion, but she seemed unshaken by his appearance.

“That's just Lion,” she said. “He likes to wander the grounds sometimes. I think he used to belong to Rose Quartz.”

That explained the color. Steven was still shaken—it was a lion after all—but he decided to trust Connie.

“He belonged to my mom?” he said.

He stared, fascinated by the majestic animal before him. His father had never mentioned his mother having a lion. Then again, maybe he didn't know about it. Steven had the impression that there were several significant gaps in Greg's knowledge of Rose.

Steven cautiously approached the lion. He wasn't sure why he wanted a closer look. The animal could tear him to shreds if it wanted to. But somehow, he wasn't afraid.

Lion looked at Steven as he approached. He regarded Steven as if he was of no more consequence than the fish he'd eaten for breakfast. He stood perfectly still, unconcernedly observing Steven's slow approach.

Steven held out his hand and gently touched Lion's head. Lion didn't vocally object or attempt to leave. He stood there, slightly bowing his head at Steven's touch. He even began to purr a little as Steven pet him.

Connie came up beside Steven, an astonished expression on her face.

“You really are Rose Quartz's son,” she said.

Steven stared at the pink lion as if entranced. He was starting to become overwhelmed by everything. It was surreal, yet it all felt perfectly natural. Perhaps this was what had been missing from Steven's existence.

“I am,” he said vaguely.

The door opened. Garnet came marching out of the castle.

“Steven, I'd like to talk to you,” she said.

Connie started to bow, then seemed to remember that Garnet didn't like that. She blushed, looking from Garnet to Steven for a moment. She started towards a side door partially hidden behind a wall of vines.

“I'd better get going,” she said.

She nodded at Steven.

“See you around,” she said.

She departed, leaving Steven and Garnet alone in the garden. The sound of the door shutting seemed deafening in the silence that had descended.

Garnet turned to leave.

“Come with me,” she said.

With nothing else to do, Steven followed Garnet out of the garden. He didn't want to leave. The garden felt like the one place in the kingdom he truly belonged.

 

* * *

 

 

Steven looked around at the fluffy clouds and the vibrant pink landscape. He felt like he'd walked into a beautiful painting. If the garden had left him filled with awe, this room completely dazzled his senses.

“This was your mother's room,” said Garnet.

She was sitting crosslegged on the pink couch, casually waiting for Steven to take a seat. A comfortable pink armchair had materialized for that purpose. There was also food on the table, although Garnet had brought that there herself. She'd grabbed some cookies and tea from the kitchen before going to get Steven.

Steven finally stopped gaping. He sat down in the armchair rather gingerly. The armchair was far too comfortable-looking to be real. But the second he sat down, all of his troubles seemed to melt in the impossible softness of the chair. If Steven didn't know any better, he would have thought it was made of clouds.

“My mom sure loved the color pink,” said Steven.

He smiled. Truth be told, he too liked the color pink. Maybe not as much as Rose Quartz, but it was definitely one of his favorites.

“Your mom liked a lot of things,” said Garnet. “She liked humans. She liked Gems. She liked freedom.”

Garnet smiled, as she often did when her thoughts turned to Rose.

“You look just like her,” she said.

Steven blushed.

“Maybe if I dyed my hair pink,” he said.

Garnet shook her head.

“That's not what I mean,” she said. “Rose had a certain way of looking at you that made you believe everything she said. She truly loved the Earth and she loved everyone around her. You could see it in her eyes.”

The more Garnet stared into Steven's eyes, the more she felt as if she was talking to Rose. They simply shared so much when it came to expressions and body language. Garnet had noticed these little things more than anyone else. Even Pearl had missed some of the subtle ones.

But Steven wasn't Rose, was he? As much of Rose as Garnet saw in his eyes, she also saw someone else. She saw a confused but curious teenage boy who'd made his own life completely independent of the gemstone in his belly.

“How much do you know about your mother?” said Garnet.

Steven let out of a sad sigh.

“Basically nothing,” he said. “Dad never told me much and I was too nervous to ask.”

Garnet leaned forward.

“Maybe that's for the best,” she said. “There are some things you don't want to know about Rose Quartz.”

She crossed her arms. Her recollections of Rose were no longer entirely happy. She was hung up on some less flattering moments. To her it was nothing bad, but there was no telling how Steven would react.

“Rose kept a lot of secrets,” she said. “You were one of them.”

Steven bit his lip. He didn't know what to say. “Sorry” perhaps? But he couldn't very well apologize on behalf of a Gem he'd never met. Steven had sincerely believed that Rose Quartz had told her comrades everything. He was surprised and a little saddened to find out that she'd concealed his existence from her closest confidants.

“What exactly did she tell you?” he said. “I mean, how did you find out she died?”

Garnet shrugged. Even her memories of that day were the tiniest bit hazy. That was probably because she didn't like to think about it. Pearl's reaction to the message had shaken them as much as the message itself.

“She sent us a message,” said Garnet. “She said she was sorry, but she wouldn't be around anymore. If we didn't hear from her again in a few days, we were to assume that she was gone forever.”

Steven's heart ached. He couldn't imagine getting a message like that from a trusted leader. Maybe he was being naive, but to Steven it sounded a bit cruel. Why hadn't Rose been more specific? Why was she so determined to hide her actions from her supposedly trusted friends?

“So what do I do now?” said Steven. “Do I just stay here for the rest of my life?”

That didn't sound so bad. Maybe Garnet would let them park Greg's van in the courtyard. Steven imagined hanging out with Connie, going on adventures in this wonderful new place, maybe visiting Rose's room from time to time if he ever got bored. It sounded like the kind of life he wanted, the kind of life Rose Quartz would have wanted for him.

Garnet gave Steven a serious look.

“Steven, I don't think you understand,” she said. “You're Rose Quartz's son.”

She leaned forward again, her three eyes staring intensely into Steven's two. She should have known. He probably wouldn't have come there willingly if he'd realized. But it was time for him to know.

“That makes you the rightful ruler of the Quartz Kingdom,” she said.

Steven suddenly felt as if the floor had fallen out from under him.


	3. The Legacy of Rose Quartz

Pearl was pacing back and forth. She resembled an agitated bird walking on a branch.

“This is completely ridiculous,” she said.

Garnet watched disinterestedly. In her experience, Pearl would tire herself out eventually. Nevertheless, Garnet wished Pearl would hurry up and calm down. She needed an equally rational thinker to assist her in what came next.

Navy was perched on the edge of the table, kicking her dangling feet in excitement.

“Wowie, I can't believe it,” she said. “I didn't think we'd ever see Rose Quartz again. And she looks so different. This is the best day ever!”

Leggy—one of the other Rubies—nodded in enthusiastic agreement. Both her and Navy had been less than happy about being left behind. They would have liked to join Amethyst and the other Rubies on their important mission. It appeared being left out wasn't as bad as they'd originally thought.

“I told you she'd be back,” said Leggy. “”Mark my words” I said. “We'll see Rose Quartz again”.”

She nodded wisely, as if she had actually seen the whole thing coming. The gesture had the desired effect of earning an awestruck look from Navy.

Garnet lamented Amethyst's absence. She'd sent out a message urging her to return and outlining the situation, but she wasn't sure if it had gotten through. Garnet didn't think she could properly lay things out until all three of them were present.

Pearl stopped pacing. She dropped into a chair next to Garnet, her arms crossed. She had suggested they move their impromptu meeting to the history room. Pearl had thought being around portraits of her beloved Rose Quartz would calm her down. All the souvenirs from battles past and artifacts reminded her of the unfortunate turn reality had taken so relatively soon after Rose's passing. Her voice quivered with disbelief and misery.

“Why would you say such a thing?” she said. “Why did you tell him the kingdom belongs to him?”

Garnet's hands were clasped together and her expression was indifferent, but her voice was firm.

“Because it does,” she said.

She unclasped her hands and looked at the ceiling. Garnet had been thinking about the whole thing nonstop since she talked to Steven. The reveal might have been abrupt to him, but the truth had been living inside Garnet since she first laid eyes on him. She'd debated keeping it to herself, both for Steven's sake and for Pearl. But how could she?

Pearl stared at Garnet with indignation.

“He's fifteen,” she said.

All three of Garnet's eyes immediately fastened on her. Pearl’s resolve trembled in the intense gaze.

“He has Rose's gem,” said Garnet.

Pearl was about to give a heated response, but there was a noise in the hallway. Everyone in the room turned to look at the closed door. They collectively wondered if it was Steven or Greg seeking to intrude. Garnet hadn't forbidden either of them from poking their heads in and she didn't intend to.

The door hastily retracted into the wall, revealing a short purple Gem. It seemed Amethyst had gotten Garnet's message. Seeing how quickly she'd gotten there from the Agate Empire, she must have taken the warp pad instead of a ship.

“Garnet, what the hell?” she said.

Amethyst marched into the history room, trailed by two puzzled Rubies. Her short hair looked messier than normal, undoubtedly as a result of her currently frazzled state of mind.

“Sit down,” said Garnet.

But for once, Amethyst wasn't having any of Garnet's orders. Ever since Rose's death, it was like she was constantly making up for mistakes both real and imagined. This had manifested itself as unwavering loyalty to the kingdom, particularly to Garnet. But for the first time in a while, Amethyst was pissed off enough to forget about all that.

“You can't just do that!” she said. “You can't just call me out of nowhere and say shit like that.”

She'd been crying. No one else could tell, but Garnet could sense it. Sometime between getting the message and dashing to the nearest warp pad, Amethyst had had a good long sob. Her first one in years. Steven's presence had really brought it all out of hiding.

“Sit down,” Garnet said again.

Amethyst did sit, but not because Garnet told her to. She didn't look it, but she was drained. Drained from their fruitless search, drained from the impossible things Garnet had told her in that message. Amethyst wished she'd had the chance to sleep, even though she didn't need it.

“What the hell is going on?” said Amethyst.

The two other Rubies sat down as well. They were known as Army and Eyeball respectively.

Garnet explained. She took her time retelling everything, letting each respective scene linger for a moment. She gave her recollection in a detached manner, but even Amethyst could tell she was as emotionally effected as everyone else.

When Garnet was finished, Amethyst sat back in her chair with a dazed expression. She couldn't take it all in. It was like a nightmare wrapped in a dream.

“He has Rose's gem?” she said.

Garnet nodded.

Amethyst shook her head. No, it was ludicrous. Not now. Not after fifteen years of grieving and adjusting.

“It can't be,” she said. “It has to be a trick, right? A distraction. Someone is screwing with us.”

She had someone in mind, but Garnet shook her head.

“Do you really think anyone is capable of this?” she said.

Amethyst put her head in her hands. She wasn't ready. None of them were ready, but Amethyst especially. Sixteen years or a hundred, none of them could have been prepared. It was—as the old saying went—a “kick to the gem”.

“What'd he say?” said Amethyst. “What'd he say when you told him?”

Garnet closed her eyes.

“He said it was too much and he needed to think,” she said. “I told him that was for the best.”

Amethyst laughed sourly.

“Good one, G-Squad,” she said. “Quick question: did you tell him everything? Everything everything? All of it?”

Garnet crossed her arms. She was hard to read most of the time, but everyone could see the question made her uncomfortable. Being a leader had never been easy, even with her seemingly unshakable demeanor. But this day alone had been Garnet's biggest challenge to date. She'd almost come undone.

“I told him everything he needed to know,” she said.

Amethyst gave a disbelieving laugh.

“Sure,” she said.

Pearl spoke up before Garnet could say anything. She had been watching silently, waiting to ask a single question.

“What do we do now?” she said.

Garnet got up from her seat. For all of her flaws, no one could say she lacked authority. The very sight of her was enough to control a situation.

“You talk to Steven,” said Garnet. “Me and the Rubies have work to do.”

The whole Steven thing was its own series of interconnected challenges, but there were other pressing matters. Garnet hoped it wasn't too late to deal with them.

 

* * *

 

 

Steven had left his mother's room in an unfortunate state of mind. He'd told Garnet he wanted to think about it, but there really wasn't much for him to consider. A part of him had known who and what he was beyond being Rose Quartz's son. Hearing Garnet say those words had birthed a bunch of emotions Steven could have done without.

The problem was that he'd learned a lot, but he still knew nothing. After fifteen years, Steven was getting sick of questions.

He was wandering the castle, trying to find some relevant information about Rose. This was her castle after all. It should have been filled to the brim with Rose's memories.

But nothing he found answered any questions. Steven traversed seemingly endless hallways, looking at equally endless portraits of his mother. He saw epic battles, Gems he didn't know, places he couldn't even imagine. None of it told him who in the world Rose Quartz actually was.

Steven found himself before a door unlike any of the others he'd seen. It was large, but only about Garnet-sized. It was missing the usual gem rose symbol Steven had become accustomed to seeing everywhere. The lock was of a complicated design Steven had never seen before. It didn't look as if a traditional key would fit.

He ran his hand across the door. It was slightly warm to the touch.

Could this be something to do with Rose? A secret he wasn't meant to find? Perhaps a room filled with aspects of her personality she'd chosen to hide away? If only Steven had the key. Perhaps if he could open that door, he'd finally have an actual look at his mother's character.

Steven lifted his shirt and pressed his gem against the door. Nothing. He hadn't actually thought that would work, but it was worth a try.

The door suddenly swung open. Steven jumped back, narrowly avoiding being smacked in the face. He shouted as he lost his balance and fell on his ass.

“Hot stuff coming through!”

A huge Gem entered the hallway, laughing heartily. Steven hadn't thought it was possible, but she looked twice as intimidating as Garnet. If it wasn't for the big grin on her face, she would have appeared rather terrifying. She was carrying a steaming tray of oven-fresh food with her bare hands. She turned to start down the hallway, but she noticed Steven staring at her from the floor. Her grin vanished at the sight of him.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” she said. “Scared you, didn't I?”

Balancing the tray in one hand, the Gem reached an enormous hand towards Steven. When he took it, she pulled him to his feet with one strong yank.

“Didn't bump your head or anything, did you?” said the Gem.

Steven hastily recovered from the surprise. Now that he was standing up, he realized that this new Gem wasn't quite as scary as he'd thought. Her friendly smile and kind eyes put Steven completely at ease.

“No, I'm fine,” he said. “I was just surprised.”

He pointed at the tray in her hand.

“Are those cream buns?” he said.

The Gem nodded.

“They sure are,” she said. “Fresh out of the oven.”

She eyed Steven quizzically. She suddenly seemed to realize that he was a stranger. A human stranger at that.

“Never seen you before,” she said. “Are you one of Pearl's students?”

Steven yet again found himself in a dilemma. Should he tell this mysterious Gem who he was? The entire truth, right down to his newly discovered role? Steven was still working through what Garnet had said. Despite what he'd told her, he hadn't done a whole lot of thinking about that in particular.

“I'm visiting,” he said.

The Gem shrugged her massive shoulders. She gave the door behind her a little kick to shut it.

“Alright then,” she said.

She pressed a hand to her gemstone, her grin widening with pride.

“I'm Bismuth,” she said. “I make weapons. If you ever need a sword or an axe, I'm your Gem. Been working here for years and I've yet to disappoint a customer.”

She grabbed one of the buns from the tray and offered it to Steven. It smelled delicious. The aroma reminded Sreven that he hadn't eaten in a long time. His stomach growled as he gratefully accepted the bun.

“Thanks,” he said. “So you cook and make weapons?”

Bismuth took a cream bun of her own from the tray. It was too hot to eat, but she stuffed the whole thing in her mouth without hesitation. She swallowed it without chewing. Bismuth grinned and wiped a few crumbs from the side of her mouth.

“It's a hobby,” she said.

She jabbed her thumb at the closed door behind her.

“Wanna see the forge?” she said.

His interest captured, Steven forgot about his quest. He wasn't too interested in the weapons, but he'd never seen a forge before. It sounded exciting and rather foreboding. There certainly weren't places like that back in the somewhat boring beach-side town Steven occupied. He loved his town, but the population was almost entirely human. Being a half-human and half-Gem hybrid, Steven tended to feel left out.

At Steven's eager nod, Bismuth placed the tray on the floor beside her. She turned back to the heavy door. Humming, Bismuth shapeshifted her hand into what appeared to be a unique key. She jammed it into the lock and turned it. The door rumbled for a second, then sprang open with a dull hissing sound.

“Time to get down to _Bismuth_ ,” she said.

Steven followed Bismuth down a flight of stairs. As he descended, the aroma of burning coal and metal breached his senses. He felt perspiration on his brow as the temperature rapidly increased. It was like being surrounded by an inferno, the heat close enough to be felt yet harmlessly contained.

The forge was almost exactly as Steven had pictured. At the bottom of the stairs, he was greeted by a vast room filled with blacksmithing tools, open vats, and steam. There were weapons of all shapes and sizes hanging from the walls. Steven was awestruck.

“Wow,” he said.

Bismuth placed the tray on a nearby table. She was grinning proudly as Steven observed her creations. She gestured to the array of weapons adorning the walls.

“All my original designs,” she said.

Somewhat overwhelmed, Steven looked around. He saw axes, maces, swords, spears, and several other weapon types he'd never seen before. Some of them might not have even existed outside of Bismuth's workshop.

“If you see one you like, I might let you have it,” said Bismuth. “You look like you could use a sturdy ax to call your own.”

Steven's attention was captured by one particular sword. It was hanging at the back of the room, next to a door that led to another area. Transfixed, Steven crossed the room to get a better look at it. He was sure he'd seen it somewhere.

Bismuth was examining a collection of spears. She was talking, oblivious to the fact that Steven wasn't paying any attention.

“I made this one for Snowflake,” she was saying. “Bigs wanted one just like it, but I told her she'd be better off with something smaller...”

Steven placed his hand against the sword's hilt. There was something familiar about the curved handle and the color. He'd glimpsed it elsewhere, perhaps in one of the countless paintings he'd passed. Did this sword belong to Rose Quartz?

Bismuth finally turned and saw what Steven was doing. She frowned.

“Hey, leave that alone,” she said. “It belongs to a friend.”

But all Steven could hear was the sword. It was calling to him. He could hear its voice at the back of his brain. It was soft and reassuring, like how he imagined Rose might sound. Steven carefully lifted the sword from the wall. It felt unbelievably light in his hands, as if it was merely a physical extension of his body.

“Mom,” he said.

Bismuth started marching towards him. All the humor had left her face.

Steven's gemstone had begun to glow. He could feel it gently pulsing, as if it was trying to communicate with the sword. He could feel that familiar tender warmth in his stomach. Steven didn't know what was happening, but he didn't move. He was rooted to the spot, aware of only the heat and the feel of the sword in his hands.

Bismuth froze in her tracks. She had just noticed the glow emanating from underneath Steven's shirt. It had intensified to the point that it couldn't be overlooked. Bismuth stared at the glow, utterly puzzled.

Something materialized in the air before Steven. Bismuth knew what it was immediately. She'd seen and made her fair share of them. It was a shield, about average in size. But this wasn't something Bismuth had crafted in her workshop. The pattern alone was something far too intricate even for her to manage.

Bismuth gasped. She stumbled back, almost falling into a nearby table.

“How did you...?” she said. “Who...what...who are you?”

Her eyes were locked on the shield. No, it wasn't possible. No one could do that. No human or Gem in existence could summon that shield. The only one capable of it was someone who'd left them long ago.

“Rose?” Bismuth whispered.

Steven pressed the sword against his chest. He was sure he was imagining it, but he thought he could feel a heartbeat. The sword felt alive. Alive with his mother's spirit. Except he was his mother's spirit. Everything that had once been or belonged to Rose Quartz was his now, including the sword.

“Mom,” he said.

His eyes stung with tears.

Steven never had the chance to actually know Rose Quartz. But at that moment, he missed her. He missed her so much it hurt.


	4. The Rightful Heir

Steven tossed the sword on the table. It clattered against the polished surface, the noise harsh in the otherwise silent history room.

“This belonged to my mom, didn't it?” he said.

Pearl's reaction was all the response he needed. She gasped and clapped her hand to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. She reached one trembling hand forward, brushing the pink blade with the tenderness of a lover.

But the sword didn't interest Amethyst. She was gaping at Steven. It was unsettling how well he matched the picture in her head. So much like Rose, but so clearly human. A flawless hybrid of the possible and the impossible.

“Dude, you're awesome,” she said.

Steven brushed off her compliment. This wasn't flattery time. It was answer time.

Bismuth was the only one sitting. She had her head propped up by her hands, an inquisitive look on her face. She didn't know what in the stars was going on.

Steven had found Pearl and Amethyst, rather than the other way around. He'd sought them out, sword in hand and his face uncharacteristically grim. He still hadn't cracked one of his usual smiles.

“What do you two know about my mom?” he said.

Amethyst poked Steven's chest. He didn't quite have that soft marshmallow texture Rose had somehow managed, but he would have made a decent pillow.

“Slow down there, little man,” she said. “At least buy us dinner first.”

Steven groaned and collapsed into a chair. Still no smile, but he didn't look quite as grim. He finally understood why his dad was so tired.

“Do you guys have any food?” he said.

Pearl looked bemused. She routinely forgot that organic life forms needed some kind of sustenance. It was such a silly concept in her opinion. A disgusting one as well, based on what Pearl knew about the human digestive system.

“Oh yes, food,” she said. “I'll get you something.”

She scurried off to the kitchen, eager to be away from Steven.

Amethyst perched on the edge of the table. Against all odds, she kind of liked Rose's new form. It was completely different from what she was used to, but that was what made it so great. Pearl might balk at change, but Amethyst championed for the unexpected.

“Don't mind P,” she said. “She'll warm up to you in about, oh, one hundred years.”

She laughed and kicked her legs.

Steven looked at Amethyst, surprised but slightly warmed by her casual amusement. He was glad for the change.

“Is that how long it took for her to warm up to Mom?” he said.

Amethyst looked down at her lap. No one ever asked her about Rose Quartz. Everyone—even Garnet to an extent—seemed to think her experiences in regards to the wonderful Rose were insignificant. Amethyst didn't let it bother her. She was a locked box of emotions after all.

“Nah, Pearl loved your mom,” said Amethyst. “She was with her from Day One.”

Steven glanced in the direction Pearl had gone, a disappointed look on his face. So why couldn't Pearl be with him from Day One? Why couldn't she look past his gemstone and see him as Steven Universe?

“Rose was pretty awesome,” Amethyst went on. “She taught me a ton of cool Earth stuff. Did you know that humans used to think Gems were witches? You guys are hilarious.”

Steven looked around, observing the vast walls and tall ceiling. The very size of the room made him feel like an insignificant speck. Rose Quartz had built this entire kingdom over thousand of years. She'd forged strong bonds with all the Gems and established herself as a caring ruler. Steven had just shown up earlier that day and proclaimed himself to be her son.

“Why did I even come here?” he said.

Amethyst shrugged.

“'Cause you were bored?” she said. “Being a human is cool and all, but you've gotta get sick of it once in a while.”

Steven hadn't thought of that. Was he sick of being a human? Was he tired of being surrounded mostly by people who could never understand him? He knew people talked about him. Steven knew the other kids on his street thought of him as “the weird guy with the rock in his belly”.

Bismuth spoke up for the first time. The sound of her voice made both Amethyst and Steven jump. With how unusually quiet she'd been, they'd both forgotten she was in the room.

“Excuse me, you're a human?” she said.

Steven smiled rather apologetically.

“Um, kind of,” he said. “I'm half-human.”

Bismuth laughed heartily. She was finally back to herself. The initial shock had worn off and she was ready for any new bombshells. Bismuth didn't think anything could top what she'd seen in the forge.

“I should have known,” she said. “That Rose. Always doing whatever and whoever she wanted.”

Steven blushed, but Amethyst burst out laughing. She turned eagerly to Bismuth, her focus entirely shifting from Steven for the first time.

“Do you remember when she laid siege to a base all by herself?” said Amethyst. “That shit was wild.”

She stood up on the table. She was dancing in excitement, as she often did when relieving memories of Rose's badassery. Pearl remembered all the times Rose had been the wise and seemingly all-knowing leader. Amethyst really only remembered the explosions.

“She just went in with her sword and _poof poof poof_ ,” said Amethyst.

She thrust her hands in the air demonstratively.

Bismuth rolled her eyes and grinned.

“Oh please,” she said. “Those cowards practically poofed themselves when they saw her. Those Homeworld Gems were scared shitless of her.”

Steven looked from Amethyst to Bismuth. He felt a little uncomfortable. He sensed he was intruding on some private moment between two long time friends. But as much as he wanted to remove himself, he couldn't. Steven wanted to know, if only in increments.

“Yeah, total weenies,” said Amethyst. “One Gem poofs hundreds of trained Quartz soldiers and suddenly she's Homeworld's Most Wanted.”

Her and Bismuth laughed, remembering better—relatively better in that Rose Quartz was alive—times.

However, Steven was staring at Bismuth in particular. There was something stiff in the larger Gem's laughter, as if she didn't find it as funny as Amethyst. Her eyes were alive with humor, yet there was some hint of anger in them.

Pearl returned to the room with a plate in her hands.

Steven forgot all about Bismuth at the sight. His stomach gave a longing growl. Between not having eaten since breakfast and his exhaustion, he would have taken a bite of anything. Steven hoped the anything was edible.

Pearl placed the plate in front of him. She looked quite a bit calmer than the last time Steven had seen her.

“Here you go,” she said. “You humans like these, right?”

It was a cherry pie. Not merely a slice, but an entire pie. Even though it looked perfect, he could tell it was made from scratch. It was the most delicious-looking pie Steven had ever seen outside of a magazine.

“Thanks,” he said.

He took the fork Pearl offered him. Despite his hunger, Steven was reluctant to take a bite. It smelled amazing, but he really had no idea what passed for “food” to a Gem who had probably never eaten. However, Steven didn't want to upset Pearl anymore than he had with his mere existence. He stabbed a good-sized chunk with his fork, lifted it to his mouth, and took his first bite.

It wasn't bad. More aesthetically pleasing than delicious, but not terrible.

“It's good,” he said.

Amethyst reached over and dug a huge chunk out of the pie. She stuffed the entire mess into her mouth and swallowed it.

“Yeah, good job,” she said. “This one actually tastes like pie.”

Steven pulled the remainder of the pie out of Amethyst's grasp. He wondered if the local pizza place would deliver to the castle. Steven couldn't see himself eating pie or possibly cream buns three times a day for the rest of his life.

Pearl left the room without a word. As quickly as she had become mildly friendly, she'd turned cold again.

Steven continued eating. He was having trouble sorting his contradictory feelings. He felt like a trespasser, but he also felt at home. Amethyst was kind of right. Steven was a bit fed up with being human when he knew he was something more. He wanted to finally get his hands on that other side of his being, the one he rarely got to explore at home.

“So, what's going to be your first act as king?” said Amethyst.

Of course there was that little detail Steven kept forgetting.

“I don't know,” said Steven.

He had an idea of what kings were supposed to do. The trouble was that he couldn't do any of that stuff. Simple in theory, but most likely near-impossible in practice. Steven didn't know who would be backing him if he actually assumed his rightful role. He was scared of having a kingdom's worth of responsibilities dropped in his lap with zero guidance.

“What does Garnet do?” said Steven.

Bismuth shrugged her massive shoulders.

“Signs things, handles complaints, helps keep the kingdom safe,” she said. “She's got Pearl and Amethyst to help her with the small stuff.”

She gave Steven a reassuring smile.

“Don't freak out,” she said. “It was a while before the citizens of the kingdom could accept Garnet as their queen. I'm sure you'll hit it off with them even quicker, seeing as you're related to the honorable Rose Quartz.”

She grinned.

“Pearl will be fine,” she said. “Trust me. She might not like you, but she cares about the kingdom. When the time comes, she'll be beside you.”

Steven was skeptical about that. Sure, Pearl might stand beside him when it came down to it. But he doubted that she merely didn't like him. There was more going on than Steven could understand. If only he could talk to her one-on-one.

The door of the history room slid open. Greg was standing in the doorway, yawning and rubbing his eyes. He'd obviously woken up only moments before. Peeking out from behind Greg were two excited-looking Rubies. Amethyst recognized them as Leggy and Navy.

“How long was I out?” he said.

Steven jumped out of his seat and wrapped his dad in a bone-crushing hug. Finally, someone whose feelings weren't overly complicated. Someone Steven understood and trusted. Someone who might understand why he was having such a hard time.

“Whoa,” said Greg. “You okay there, kiddo? Did I miss something important?”

Steven withdrew, tears in his eyes. He'd never been so happy to see his dad in his life.

Now the castle felt like home. With Greg there, Steven could say he belonged.

 

* * *

 

 

Greg leaned back in his chair, his eyes on the ceiling. His eyes followed the intricate patterns above him, finding connections both intentional and imagined. It was his first time in the castle. Rose's colorful descriptions didn't entirely translate into reality.

“So my son's a prince now?” he said.

The surprise in his voice was mild. He could have been talking about flowers.

Steven eyed his father uncertainly. He realized Greg had touched—not experienced, but touched—this world before he was born. He might never have been to the Quartz Kingdom, but he'd stood on the figurative outskirts. After all, Rose was the kingdom. She must have taken its heart and soul with her during her travels.

“You knew?” said Steven.

Greg flinched as if struck. How long had he been avoiding this talk? Years? He definitely hadn't prepared for it.

“Look, I never asked your mom about any of this,” said Greg. “It wasn't her so I left it alone. Rose was more than the kingdom she built. But when you came into the world, I kind of knew it was the start of something.”

Amethyst seemed transfixed by Greg. She appeared especially enamored by his long hair. Past the tan lines and suggestion of a beard, Amethyst glimpsed a younger Greg. She could vividly picture the young rocker Rose had fallen for. Her eyes dazed, Amethyst reached up and ran a hand through her own messy short hair.

“The start of something?” said Steven, puzzled.

Greg smiled. A genuine smile of pride. Fifteen years ago he had, in an instant, lost the love of his life and gained a son. But if he could do it all again, Greg would have made the exact same choices and he knew Rose would have as well.

“She knew you'd be something extraordinary,” he said.

Steven lifted his shirt and looked at his gem. He didn't feel extraordinary. He felt small. But for what it was worth, at least Rose had believed in him before he was even born. Perhaps she'd known all along that this would happen. Maybe she knew enough to realize that things would work out in the end.

He yanked his shirt down. Gem or no gem, prince or not, he was still Steven Universe. That counted for something, right? That had to make a difference, whether good or bad.

“I think I'll go to bed,” he said.

He pushed his empty plate away and stood up. He noticed the sword was still on the table. It sat there like an oddly specific centerpiece. Steven decided that it could stay in the history room. Regardless of his connection to it, he felt that was where it belonged. He didn't even know how to use it.

Greg didn't point out that the sun was still up. There weren't a lot of windows in the castle.

Steven bid everyone farewell, then headed to the guest room. But he knew he wouldn't sleep, at least not for several hours. His mind was too alive for sleep.

 

* * *

 

The history room emptied significantly after Steven's departure. Bismuth returned to her forge, her eyes lingering on the sword as she exited. Leggy and Navy scampered off together, presumably to break their shared silence and talk about everything they had heard. Greg wandered off, mumbling about needing to check on his van.

Only two remained: Pearl and Amethyst, the latter plopping down in Steven's seat.

Pearl wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the floor. She had thought she might be able to cope, but it was difficult. She was ashamed of herself. Ashamed of what Rose's death had done to her. Pearl no longer believed she'd been healing all those years. She had begun to wonder if she'd merely been ignoring her own emotions.

She looked at her hands. She remembered Rose holding those hands, looking into her eyes, smiling. That smile had been genuine. The affection had been genuine. It wasn't fair.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Garnet marching into the history room. Pearl immediately dropped her hands and looked up, embracing the distraction. She needed Garnet's reassurances and her guidance, but she had a feeling she wouldn't be getting either. Steven's sudden appearance wasn't their main priority.

Garnet stood behind Amethyst's chair. She gripped the back of the chair with both hands, her face empty of emotion.

“How was your search?” she said.

Amethyst leaned her head on the table and groaned. She'd almost forgotten about her mission. The shock of seeing Steven had driven the details from her mind. Then again, there weren't that many details in the first place.

“Nothing,” she said.

Pearl threw up her hands.

“This is too much,” she said. “She's already destroyed two communication towers _and_ one of our ships! Where on Earth could she be?”

They should have found her months ago. How could one Gem be evading them so throughly? Every lead seemed to have brought them to a dead end. Pearl was especially bothered by how little progress they'd made. It was the first time since Rose's death that they had all felt so entirely helpless.

“Maybe she left the planet?” said Amethyst.

Pearl put her hands on her hips and gave Amethyst a skeptical look.

“How?” she said. “She doesn't have a ship and we've posted guards at the Galaxy Warp. There's no way she could have made it off planet.”

But the notion gave her pause. If Amethyst was somehow right, they were in more trouble than they could handle.

“We can't keep looking forever,” said Garnet. “We have to find her.”

The urgency in her voice surprised Amethyst and Pearl. They'd always known the mission was important, but they'd never heard Garnet sound so effected by it.

“Maybe the Lazuli Lands...,” started Amethyst.

Garnet crushed those foolish hopes right there.

“They're not going to help us,” she said. “They've made their choice. It's up to us.”

She looked at her hands, studying the two gemstones. Her hands shook slightly as her eyes wandered from one to the other. Sometimes Garnet forgot that she was two personalities inhabiting one body. She forgot who she was and why she'd chosen to follow Rose Quartz. But when she remembered, it was both terrifying and liberating.

“We need to have a meeting,” she said.

She looked at Pearl.

“Gather everyone in the castle,” she said.

Pearl appeared hesitant. It had been a while since they'd had one of those meetings. She supposed it was to be expected, but she would have preferred sorting the whole thing out amongst the three of them. That was how it had been before the Quartz Kingdom, back when it was four rather than three.

“Everyone?” she said.

Garnet nodded sternly.

“Everyone,” she said. “Even Steven and Greg.”

Pearl was about to protest. But the look on Garnet's face changed her mind.

“Right away,” Pearl said.

She gave a nod, then marched out of the history room.

 

* * *

 

 

Garnet stood up and clapped her hands, bringing the room to order.

It had been an age since everyone in the castle had gathered in the same room. Even during times of crisis, it had always been just Rose, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Occasionally they'd be joined by one of the Rubies—usually Eyeball—but mostly it was merely the four—more recently three—of them.

Steven squirmed in his chair. He could sense everyone sneaking glances at him. One Ruby in particular was scrutinizing him like he was a newly discovered species of beetle. Steven could feel her eye burning into the back of his head.

Connie was standing to one side of Garnet's chair. The other side was occupied by a pink-haired woman Steven didn't know.

Connie flashed Steven a smile. The sight of it made him feel a little better.

Garnet waited until everyone remembered why they'd gathered. When everyone had shifted their attention from Steven to her, she dived right into it.

“We can't wait any longer,” she said. “We need to act now.”

She looked down, clenching her fists. She felt as if she'd been on the chase longer than anyone. Garnet had given herself to the mission, but the results had been less than favorable. It was time for her to start riding on the edge.

“Guarding the Galaxy Warp isn't enough,” she said. “Sending out teams isn't enough. We've tried everything we could think of and we're no closer to finding her. If we don't change our strategy, she will destroy everything Rose Quartz built. She will destroy us.”

Pearl spoke up uncertainly. By her tone of voice, it wasn't the first time she'd spoken those words.

“She's only one Gem,” she said.

Amethyst answered before Garnet could reply. She was reclining in her chair with her feet on the table. Her casual pose might have said otherwise, but Amethyst was far from calm. She still hadn't gotten her daily recommended dose of unneeded sleep.

“One Gem whose kicking our asses,” she said.

No one could disagree with that. Even Garnet couldn't come up with a good reply.

The Rubies had formed their own little group in one corner of the room. None of them had attempted to take a seat, even though there were one or two empty chairs at the table. Before the silence could settle, a voice rose from the center of the group. A single Ruby—the one who'd been staring intently at Steven the whole time—stepped forward.

“What about Sapphire?” she said. “What does she think?”

She was staring down Garnet like she was issuing a challenge. Steven might have been new, but even he could sense the repressed tension in the room. For the second time that day, he felt as if he was intruding on something extremely private. Looking around the room, Steven saw more than a few uncomfortable glances.

Garnet folded her hands. She wasn't smiling or frowning, but Steven could swear she was mildly amused. Her third eye seemed slightly out of sync with the other two.

“Sapphire is confident we'll be able to find her,” said Garnet. “We don't need future vision.”

Eyeball squinted angrily, as if she'd been hoping for conflict. Left without a response, she turned her intense gaze on Steven. She narrowed her eye at him, as if it was somehow his fault. In the heat of her stare, Steven shrank back like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

Pearl looked at Garnet with a forced smile on her face. The meeting was not going the way she'd wanted.

“I for one believe a team of highly skilled Gems is what we need,” said Pearl. “Perhaps Holly Blue would be willing to lend us some of her Quartzes?”

Amethyst smirked. She always found it hilarious when Pearl pretended they were on good terms with the other Gem-controlled territories. History had taught them that this wasn't at all the case. They were tolerated at most, outright shunned at worst. Why Pearl couldn't get that through her head was a mystery.

“Sure, P,” she said. “I'm sure Holly Blue will totally be up for that. She was so into it the last time we asked her for help.”

Pearl blushed, but she attempted to maintain her poise.

“Well, do you have a better idea?” she said.

Garnet spoke up before Amethyst and Pearl could get into one of their debates. If she'd let them go on, they could have argued for literal hours on the subject.

“I do,” she said.

Everyone looked at her expectantly. They could have thrown ideas back and forth for hours, but Garnet was the ultimate decider. Although Pearl liked to deny it, everyone in the castle and the kingdom valued Garnet's thoughts and decisions above all else.

Garnet closed her eyes. She hesitated, waiting until the growing curiosity had sucked all the tension from the room. She waited until she knew no more fights were going to break out. When a relative serenity had settled upon the room and she had fully grabbed focus, Garnet spoke.

“I'm going to go after Jasper,” she said.

The room didn't erupt in protests. It was more like a gentle trickle of disbelief and objection. There were no raised voices, but plenty of incredulous looks and worried glances.

Everyone looked at each other, collectively unsure how to respond. Questioning Garnet was a rather foreign concept to them. Even when they'd doubted her judgment, they'd been willing to go along with it. They trusted she knew more than them.

Amethyst stood up on her chair.

“You're not going after Jasper,” she said.

She jabbed a thumb at her own chest.

“If any Gem's going after her, its gonna be this one,” she said.

Eyeball stepped forward, as if she was about to volunteer herself. But Doc—one of the other Rubies—put a hand on her shoulder. Silent communication among Rubies wasn't common. But Eyeball seemed to understand what Doc meant with that head shake. She retreated, her eyes falling on Steven yet again.

Garnet appeared to have expected Amethyst's response. She replied immediately, firmly shaking her head.

“I'm the only one here whose a match for Jasper,” she said. “If I go after her alone, no one else needs to get hurt.”

She clenched her fists, her body surging with purpose. Garnet rarely bothered to be aware of her own power. It was merely a fact of her existence. But at her own words, Garnet truly understood why she was sometimes referred to as a “war machine”. It was an apt description of what a fusion like her could have been. The fact that she was more than that made her feel even more powerful.

Pearl bowed her head. There was no use trying to talk Garnet out of it or insist on going with her. As far as Pearl and everyone else was concerned, Garnet's words were practically carved in stone. If she truly wanted to tackle Jasper on her own, it would take a force stronger than any fusion to stop her.

“I'll do it.”

The entire room turned as a whole to look at who had spoken. The words weren't the timid protest of someone who knew they wouldn't get their way. They were spoken with confidence.

Steven was standing up. He only looked about half as confident as he sounded, but that was an achievement in its own right. His resemblance to Rose Quartz intensified in that moment. Everything about him—his tone of voice, his stance, the fire behind his expression—was thoroughly hers, yet with a hint of a separate individual behind it. If there had been any doubt, it vanished as those familiar three words left Steven's mouth.

Greg was gaping at Steven. As a parent, he thought he should say something. But none of the words in his head sounded valid. Greg didn't feel as if he could be Steven's father in this unique situation. He knew enough to be a spectator, but butting in was beyond him.

Garnet spoke with unexpected calm, her expression unchanged by Steven's declaration. She wasn't one to emote excessively, but Pearl and Amethyst had expected an at least subtle change in her facial expression.

“Steven, no,” she said.

They were the words of someone gently admonishing a misbehaving child.

Staggered, Steven gazed at her, an expression of sadness frozen on his face. He thought Garnet believed in him and his competence as a leader. But the way she dismissed his words said otherwise. Had Garnet been faking all along? Had everyone been? Did anyone in that room believe in Steven?

He felt a tight ball of anger in his chest. How could they believe? He was merely a kid, a dumb teenager trying to stand with the adults. What did he actually have to prove he was anything else? Rose Quartz's shield and her gemstone. Both things that didn't technically belong to him.

Steven's eyes stung with tears. He reached up to wipe them away, but the flood had begun. The stress of the day and what felt like a lifetime of repressed emotions were pouring from him.

“I'm going to do it,” he said. “You're not gonna stop me.”

He clenched his fists, that tight ball of anger rapidly expanding. His voice rose passionately.

“I'm Steven Quartz Universe!” he said. “You can't tell me what to do.”

They could lock him up, take away his powers, break every bone in his body. It wouldn't matter. He'd stand up, he'd smile, he'd tell them to try again.

Steven was ready to be a hero. Even if no one else believed in him, he was ready to prove he could rule the Quartz Kingdom.

 


	5. Humans and Gems

Steven hefted his bulging cheeseburger backpack. He had a disarmingly cheerful look on his face as he slid the straps over his shoulders.

“Okay, I'm ready,” he said.

He'd been saying that on and off for the past hour. The words seemed to carry some kind of power. Every time Steven uttered them, he found himself back at the start of his preparations. There was consistently something else to pack. But Steven wasn't impatient with himself. If anything, he relished the distractions.

Greg was sitting on the bed. Unlike Steven, he'd grown increasingly unresponsive over the course of that same hour. He'd started off quiet, flashing Steven an occasional smile. But now he was just sitting there and staring at his son with an unreadable expression.

He thought he was a pretty good parent. He made sure his son got a decent education, he gave him good advice, and he always listened to Steven's problems. Dealing with all the magic stuff was a pain, but ultimately he thought Steven had done well all by himself. Regardless, Greg had come to feel like an ineffective chapter in a long and complicated parenting book.

Steven checked his duffel bag for the sixth time. It was mostly clothes, but he'd put some other stuff in there. Steven made sure the two Mr. Universe CDs—and his CD player, a relic he refused to part with—were safely nestled between his array of T-shirts and jeans.

The knock on the door made both of them jump.

Checking the clock—it was nearly sunrise—Steven went over to the door and opened it. As there was no peephole or keyhole to look through, he made a guess as to who was there.

He was kind of right. He'd anticipated Amethyst or Garnet. Pearl was lower on his list, seeing as she hadn't made eye contact with him since the meeting. However, it wasn't any of the Gems. Connie stood there, dressed casually and with a shy smile on her face.

Remembering the smile they'd shared during the meeting, Steven's heart swelled. Here was someone who at least partially supported him. That meant more to him than he could ever articulate to Connie.

“Can I come in?” she said.

Steven bowed dramatically.

“Madam Knight,” he said.

His words put Connie at ease. Her shy smile vanished. She even laughed a little as she stepped past Steven and into the guest room.

“My liege,” she replied.

Greg looked from Connie to Steven, unsure if he should leave or not.

Connie made that decision for him. She approached him, giving a warm smile and holding out her hand. Even though she'd shed her training garb in exchange for something mundane, Connie still looked like a knight-in-training. She'd gone sleeveless, revealing the scars across her arms.

“I'm Connie,” she said. “Future knight of the Quartz Kingdom. You're Greg Universe, right?”

Greg shook Connie's hand.

“Nice to meet you,” he said. “If you don't mind me asking, what brings you here? Did one of the Gems send you?”

Connie sat on the bed next to Greg. Her smile remained, but she appeared rather unsure of herself.

“Sort of,” she said.

She turned to Steven. She had the expression of someone who was doubting their motives. But regardless of how unsure she was of herself, Connie didn't look or act like someone facing royalty. She still saw Steven as Steven, rather than as a future or current ruler. This distinction put Steven and herself at ease.

“Do you know what you're doing?”

She blushed, the question having popped out of her. But Connie didn't take it back.

Steven shrugged, making the minimal amount of eye contact. No one had asked him that question. Almost everyone seemed to have withdrawn from him, as if lack of input or contact would make a difference to him.

“I'm going after Jasper,” he said.

The bare statement made his heartbeat increase. He couldn't say it with the impressive confidence he'd mustered at the meeting.

Connie nodded, biting her lip. She leaned forward a little and grasped her knees.

“You're going where exactly?” she said.

Steven had hoped no one would ask that. He'd had some semblance of an answer at the meeting, but that had been lost. His mind was full of places, yet none were calling to him.

“Somewhere,” he said.

His short answer seemed to annoy Connie. Her nervousness vanishing, she sat up straight and crossed her arms. She looked fed up.

“You can't go after her without a plan,” she said. “You don't even know why you're going after her in the first place.”

Oddly enough, the second part had never even occurred to Steven. He'd been too wrapped up in the idea of proving himself to contemplate the whys and hows. Why was Jasper a threat to the Quartz Kingdom? How had she managed to rile everyone up to the point of taking drastic measures?

“Okay, who is she?” he said.

Connie hesitated. The question wasn't meant for her, even though Steven had asked her in particular. It was a question for Garnet or some Gem who was bound to know more than her. Connie felt like the topic was far underneath her clearance. But Steven needed to know.

“She's a Quartz soldier,” said Connie. “A bad one. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl have been trying to catch her for months. They almost got her after she destroyed one of our ships, but by the time they got there she was gone.”

She looked at the ceiling contemplatively.

“I guess she's some kind of Gem outlaw?” she said.

Steven clutched at his gemstone through his shirt. If Jasper was so dead-set on destroying the Quartz Kingdom, she must have known his mom. She had to know things that Steven and Greg didn't. If he found her, he could ask her questions. He might finally get a perspective on Rose Quartz dissimilar to all the others.

“Whatever or wherever she is, I'm going to find her,” he said.

Greg stood up.

“Hold on there, sport,” he said. “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, what are you getting out of it?”

His worry had finally broken the surface. He was again a parent. A parent with a teenage son who could conjure a magical shield, but a parent nevertheless. Greg had never felt as if protecting Steven was difficult, but that was before they'd crossed the line into Gem stuff.

Steven's resolve wavered as he turned to his dad.

“I have to do this,” he said. “This is what Mom would have done.”

Greg put his hand on Steven's shoulder. He looked into his son's eyes, appreciating how evenly matched they were height-wise.

“But you're not your mom,” he said. “You're my son.”

Steven hung his head for a moment, then looked into his father's eyes. He felt like this was a conversation for two adults, not a grown man and his son who'd only recently learned to drive the van.

“I know, Dad,” he said.

He lifted up his shirt to reveal his gemstone.

“But I'm also a Gem,” he said.

Greg couldn't reply to that. He backed away and sat back down on the bed. Steven had slept peacefully, but Greg had slept on and off that night. He was tired in more ways than one. But he understood, the way a parent usually understands when their offspring chooses to leave home.

Connie looked at Greg, her heart aching for him. Her parents had had a hard time accepting her desire to become a knight. They'd fought against it with all they had, especially her mother. But Connie had gotten her way in the end and she was forever grateful. Greg's conversation with Steven almost perfectly mirrored one particular shouting match with her mother.

There was another knock on the door of the guest room. It opened before any of them could get up or call out.

Amethyst was standing there, her short hair as messy as ever. She raised her hand and waved at the three of them.

“'Sup?” she said.

She came striding into the room without waiting for a response. She had a can of soda in her hand.

The soda reminded Steven that he had to grab something to eat before he left. He'd packed nearly everything he needed, but food had somehow slipped under his radar. The most he had in his backpack was a package of candy he'd absentmindedly stuffed into one of the pockets.

Amethyst pointed at Steven with the hand that held the soda.

“Okay kid, I'm gonna be real with you,” she said. “You can't go after Jasper by yourself.”

As if to punctuate her announcement, she crushed the soda can against her forehead. Amethyst tossed the crushed can into her mouth as if it was a cupcake.

Steven groaned and rolled his eyes. He felt like he was being talked down to, even though that obviously hadn't been Amethyst's intention. Everyone was acting as if he didn't understand what he was doing. In reality, he'd thought more about it than any of them knew. He might not have had a plan, but Steven had verified and re-verified whether he really wanted to do this.

“Yes I can,” he said.

His response wasn't as mature as he'd wanted it to sound, but it would do. At least it got across the fact that no one was going to stop him.

Amethyst swallowed the crushed can. Her face had gone serious. Not Garnet levels of serious, but somewhere within that range.

“Look, Jasper isn't like us,” said Amethyst. “If you go after her all by yourself, she'll kill you.”

She gestured at the gemstone in Steven's stomach.

“You're not a full Gem,” she said. “You can't just come back.”

Steven looked down at his own gemstone. He'd never contemplated his mortality before. He knew he was capable of dying, but it hadn't occurred to him that Gems could come back and he probably couldn't. Then again, Steven didn't know what would happen if he died. He didn't want to find out anytime soon.

“Then what do you think I should do?” he said.

Amethyst shrugged.

“Don't ask me, man,” she said. “If I were you, I'd give up. Better than being torn limb from limb by Jasper.”

Steven considered the dilemma for a moment. He didn't know how to fight. That was an unfortunate fact. All he had was his shield and his good intentions, neither of which would protect him indefinitely. He hated to admit it, but Amethyst was right. Steven couldn't tackle this solo.

“Come with me,” he said.

Amethyst eyed him like she thought he was pulling her leg. But he looked serious, even passionate.

“You want _me_ to help you?” she said.

Steven pressed both hands to his chest, his eyes full of hope and confidence.

“I know you believe in me,” he said. “You believe in me more than Garnet, Pearl, or any of the other Gems. I want you to help me. If we go together, we'll have a much better chance and you know it.”

Connie jumped up, her fists clenched and her eyes bright with enthusiasm.

“I'm with you!” she said.

Steven and Amethyst looked at her in surprise, causing her to blush.

“My parents won't like it, but I'll make them understand,” said Connie. “I believe in you, Steven.”

She gave him a thumbs-up. She didn't say it, but they both knew that she didn't believe in him just because he was Rose Quartz's son. She wasn't volunteering herself because he was the future ruler of the kingdom. Connie believed in Steven because he was Steven. She had seen something in him, something that was all his own and perhaps more powerful than Rose with all her skills.

Amethyst acted casual, but she was overwhelmed.

“Hey, if you want to get yourself killed, its none of my business,” she said. “Guess I'd better tag along to keep you two out of trouble.”

Steven wiped fresh tears from his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said. “You two are the best.”

He definitely had at least two allies in the Quartz kingdom. That was more than enough for him.

 

* * *

 

 

Pearl placed a small object on the table.

“Do you know what this is?” she said.

Connie's hand went up immediately. She bounced up and down in her seat to draw Pearl's attention. She needn't have bothered, as no one else had raised their hand.

They were in the history room again. The room seemed to have become a sort of headquarters in a short amount of time. It was Steven who'd requested they talk there. The room was familiar to him and it had a sort of charm to it that relaxed him.

“Connie?” said Pearl.

Connie stood up eagerly. She folded her hands behind her back like a soldier addressing her superior.

“It is a Class F Gem communication device,” she said. “First prototyped over one hundred years ago by a team of Peridots. They were trying to figure out a simple way for Gems to communicate with one another over great distances. Through trial and error, they came up with a small portable communication device that could be easily mass-produced and readily available to any Gem without the need for heavy maintenance.”

Having almost quoted her textbook word for word, Connie dropped back into her seat.

Steven marveled at Connie's knowledge. But of course, Gem history and the like wasn't taught in most schools outside of Gem-controlled territories. Books on the subject were scarce and often inaccurate.

“Very good,” said Pearl.

She reached into her gem and withdrew three of the small objects. She handed one to Amethyst, one to Connie, and one to Steven. They were small silver rings, each topped by a square-shaped emerald. The surface of the emerald was flat, giving it the appearance of a table rather than a gem.

Connie slid the ring into her finger. She pressed her fingers to either side of the gem, prompting a yellow holographic screen about the size of her head to appear above it.

“You should be able to contact us whenever you want,” said Pearl.

She wasn't smiling. Pearl didn't like any of this. But when had her own opinion ever truly effected anything Rose Quartz—and therefore Rose's son—did? She couldn't stop him anymore than she could prevent Connie and Amethyst from tagging along. What Pearl could do was prepare them.

“Cool,” Steven said.

He put on his own ring. He was relieved knowing it wouldn't be just the three of them alone, utterly cut off from the kingdom.

“What about food?” said Connie.

Steven was glad she had asked, because he had again forgotten about that necessity.

“I've packed enough to last you both three weeks,” said Pearl.

Steven clutched the ring on his finger. Pearl had risen past whatever issues she had with him to help. He hadn't expected her to do that.

“You're the best, Pearl,” he said.

Despite herself, Pearl smiled. It was brief, but Steven and Connie both caught it.

“You'll need a map,” she said.

She withdrew one from her gem and spread it on the table. It wasn't like any map Steven had ever seen. It seemed to be a map of all the Gem territories, particularly the large cluster of them surrounding the Quartz Kingdom. Steven didn't recognize most of the names. His Gem geography was lacking.

“If you're going after Jasper, you'll need to start with the Lazuli Lands,” said Pearl.

She traced a path from the Quartz Kingdom to the collection of floating islands that made up the Lazuli Lands. It was quite a distance. There was no way Steven and his companions could be there overnight.

A hand came down on Steven's shoulder. He jumped, having not heard anyone else come into the room.

Bismuth was standing behind Steven. She was wearing that hearty grin of hers. Steven hadn't seen her since the all-castle meeting. He'd contemplated inviting her to tag along with them, but he'd decided to wait until she volunteered instead of asking her.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she said.

Connie and Pearl were deep in conversation. They were discussing the best and quickest path to the Lazuli Lands.

Steven left his seat and followed Bismuth out of the room. The hushed conversation between Connie and Pearl steadily faded from earshot. Neither of them noticed either Bismuth or him departing the history room.

“What's up?” he said.

The pair of them were standing in the empty hallway, the door of the history room shut behind them.

Bismuth had an immense leather bag slung over her shoulder. She grinned wider at Steven's question. She looked enthusiastic, as if she'd been waiting a long while to show Steven something.

“I've got something for you,” she said.

She dropped the leather bag and bent over to unzip it.

“I heard you were going after Jasper,” she said. “I'm impressed. I was starting to think you didn't have it in you.”

She laughed.

“I guess I should know better by now,” she said.

Bismuth reached into the leather bag and pulled out something massive. It was a bulky object two times the size of Steven's arm. The strap on it indicated it was meant to be attached to someone's arm. But Steven was more interested in the menacing-looking spike on the end of it. The thing looked twice as brutal as any sword or ax he'd ever seen.

“What is that?” he said.

There was fear in his voice, but he wasn't sure where it came from.

Bismuth proudly brandished the thing, holding it above her head to show it off. It looked even larger than it had when she first pulled it out.

“The Breaking Point!” she said. “My greatest creation.”

Steven was physically repulsed, although again he didn't know why. He was eyeing the spike with a look of mild terror. If Bismuth noticed his facial expression at all, she must have confused it for awe. Steven didn't like the absolute glee on her face as she brandished what was clearly a dangerous weapon.

Bismuth passed the Breaking Point to Steven. Even though he didn't want to touch it, he took it without thinking. Steven almost dropped it. It was unexpectedly light in his arms.

“Normal Gem weapons are great and all, but this one is special,” said Bismuth. “Take your mom's sword for instance. Can cut through a Gem's physical form in an instant. Gem gets poofed and they're out of the fight for the time being.”

She suddenly turned serious.

“But that's the problem,” she said. “It can't take them out of the fight permanently. What's the point in fighting if your enemy can just keep coming back?”

She tapped the Breaking Point.

“This might be the only weapon that can stop Jasper,” she said. “Destroy her body and her mind.”

Steven looked at the Breaking Point. It felt disgusting in his arms, like a severed limb. The design was so inelegant, yet also brutally efficient.

“You mean kill her?” he said.

Bismuth shrugged her shoulders.

“You think you have a choice?” she said. “Jasper's not going to surrender. Gems like her never do. She'd rather be shattered.”

Steven shook his head. Holding the Breaking Point was enough to make his skin crawl. The thought of using it made him feel slightly sick.

“No,” he said. “I can't.”

Bismuth's face clouded. For a second, she almost looked as scary as the Breaking Point. She reached forward and grabbed it, snatching it from Steven's arms as if he'd stolen it. She regarded him with disgust.

“Have it your way, _Rose_ ,” she said.

She stuffed the Breaking Point back into the bag. She zipped it back up, her face still clouded.

Steven longed to apologize, but he didn't know what he had to be sorry about. He just wanted Bismuth's hearty grin back. He wanted to feel like she was his friend.

“At least take it with you,” said Bismuth. “You might change your mind.”

She offered him the bag. Steven doubted he'd need it, but he took the bag anyway. Revulsion skittered up his back as he took it, even though the weapon was out of sight. Just feeling its weight was enough to get Steven's stomach churning.

Bismuth walked away without bidding him farewell. He watched her broad back as she made her way down the hallway. He stared until she disappeared around a corner.

Steven held the bag away from his body as if it smelled bad. With Bismuth gone, he felt better, although he still didn't like the Breaking Point. Was Bismuth right? Was the Breaking Point really the only weapon that would be effective against Jasper?

“No,” he said out loud.

Bismuth couldn't be right. She just couldn't.

 

* * *

 

 

When Steven went back into the history room, Connie was alone.

He'd remained in the hallway an unneeded amount of time. He'd stood there staring at the bag in his hands, thinking about the weapon within and its capabilities. The more Steven thought about it, the more determined he was to never use it. But he was still taking it with him, because he felt like he'd promised Bismuth.

Connie was hunched over the map with a pencil. She looked up when Steven dropped the heavy bag.

“Oh, hey,” she said. “Pearl went to find Garnet. I think Amethyst said something about sandwiches.”

Steven dropped into the seat next to her. He was still thinking about the Breaking Point. It was already haunting him, like he'd seen some kind of hideous specter.

Connie looked at the bag Steven had dropped. She frowned and pointed.

“What's that?” she said.

Instead of answering, Steven asked a question of his own.

“Do you really think I can do this?” he said.

Connie thought for a minute, rubbing her chin and sizing Steven up. She'd never actually asked herself if she thought Steven could do it. Connie certainly believed in his mission, but she'd never considered whether him completing it was the most plausible outcome. A possible conclusion to be sure, but the most logical one?

“Well, you have Rose Quartz's...,” she started.

Steven cut her off.

“No, I mean me,” he said. “Me. Steven Universe. Not Rose Quartz's son, not heir to the Quartz Kingdom or whatever. Just me. Do you think I can do it?”

Connie closed her eyes, letting the question soak in her thought pool.

“There's a high chance of failure, but there's also a high chance of success,” she said. “It's impossible to say whether you'll succeed or not.”

She reached over and put a hand on Steven's shoulder. Her grip was strong and comforting.

“But you won't be alone,” she said. “You'll have me and Amethyst. I'm sure that will tilt the odds in your favor.”

Steven believed it would, but he kept thinking about what Bismuth had said. He kept thinking about the Breaking Point and how wrong it had felt in his arms. When the time came, maybe he'd make the wrong decision. When the time came, maybe Steven would need more than two friends and a shield.

He stood up and walked over to one of the tables. Someone—probably Pearl—had taken Rose's sword and placed it alongside a display of ancient artifacts. Steven picked it up, running a finger across the blade. Unlike the Breaking Point, the sword felt right. It felt like a relic torn from the past and placed in his hands.

“Hey Connie.”

Connie turned around.

Steven offered the sword to her. However great his attachment to it, he had to face facts. Steven didn't know how to use it. But Connie did.

“I want you to have this,” he said.

Connie stared at the sword in awe. Most of Pearl's students had heard legends of Rose Quartz's sword. They'd come to revere it without having ever laid eyes on it. Connie especially had been enamored by it. She'd fantasized about the day she could hold such a magnificent weapon.

“I can't,” she said. “It's yours.”

But Steven shook his head.

“I don't even know how to use it,” he said. “You'll do a way better job than I ever could.”

Practically numb with happiness, Connie took the sword from him. She held it as if worried it might fall from her grasp and shatter into pieces. It felt better in Connie's hands than any of the training swords she'd used.

“Thank you,” she said.

She meant it with every part of her being.

 

* * *

 

The main hall was packed.

Steven had expected it to be just Garnet seeing them off, but it seemed the all the castle's inhabitants wanted to get a look at them before they departed. He felt somewhat intimidated as he added up the numbers.

The Rubies were clumped together as per usual, whispering among each other and glancing excitedly at the proceedings. Eyeball and Doc were deep in conversation. The former kept shooting Steven wrathful looks every few seconds. Whatever they were talking about, it obviously didn't favor Steven.

The pink-haired woman from earlier was standing near the back. Her and Pearl were talking to each other, the latter holding a holo-screen and the former with a sword casually slung over her back.

Steven noticed that the pink-haired woman greatly resembled his mother. The thought made his chest tighten. Was he going to be seeing Rose Quartz everywhere?

Seeing where Steven's gaze had landed, Connie put her hand on his shoulder. When he turned to her, she gave him a smile. She nodded her head in the direction of the pink-haired woman.

“Pearl really seems to like her,” she said. “I've never seen her get along so well with a human.”

Steven wondered why Connie was telling him this at first, but then he turned back to Pearl and the mysterious pink-haired woman. He saw the laughter in Pearl's eyes, the complete ease in her stance. It was like that cold and angry Gem who'd insisted he couldn't be related to Rose had never existed.

He clutched at his gem through his shirt. He was glad that Pearl was still able to be happy, even if her dislike of him remained.

Garnet clapped her hands. The sound wasn't entirely audible above the noise, but silence hastily rippled through the hall. The Rubies ceased their whispered conversations, Pearl and the pink-haired woman turned immediately to the front, and everyone seemed to stand at attention.

The room quiet, Garnet turned to Steven, Amethyst, and Connie. She raised both hands, letting them hover above Steven for a second. She was considering him as he was, rather than where he'd come from. Steven could see it in all three of her eyes. Slowly and deliberately, Garnet brought her hands down on Steven's shoulders.

“Good luck,” she said.

Greg came forward. He tried to keep his face supportive, but a sliver of anxiety broke through. Greg was walking the thin line between believing in his son and being a terrified parent. The trouble was that he didn't know which was more rational. The latter should have been by all accounts, but Greg just didn't know anymore.

“Be careful out there, okay?” he said. “For your old man.”

Connie stepped forward. Once her parents had—with great reluctance after an hour-long debate—given her the okay, she'd gone all-out. She technically wasn't a knight yet, but she'd donned the familiar tunic—light blue and emblazoned with the rose symbol—as well as the pants and boots. She had her long hair tied back in a ponytail and there were several pink-hilted daggers hanging from her belt alongside the sword and scabbard. Connie looked like a proper knight of the Quartz Kingdom, right down to the expression.

“Don't worry, Mr. Universe,” she said. “I promise to keep your son safe. As a knight of the Quartz Kingdom, his safety is my top priority.”

The declaration put Greg at ease to some extent. He could tell that Connie meant every word.

Amethyst put her arms behind her head and shrugged.

“Yeah, what she said,” said Amethyst.

There wasn't much else to be said. The three of them waited for Garnet to say something, perhaps an inspirational speech or some kind of dramatic announcement. They were all eager to be on their way, Steven especially.

Pearl stepped forward next. She addressed Connie specifically, her hands behind her back as if she was about to give a lecture.

“Consider this your first field test,” she said. “If you successfully complete this mission, you may advance to the third and final level of your training.”

Connie looked blown away for a moment, but she quickly wiped the excitement from her face. She hadn't realized that this mission might reflect positively on her skills as a future knight. The thought had been miles from her mind when she volunteered to help Steven. Containing herself, Connie gave Pearl a formal nod.

“Yes, ma'am,” she said.

Pearl returned the nod, then turned her head to address Steven.

“Good luck,” she said.

She sounded completely sincere.

The crowd suddenly parted. A familiar pink lion had entered the main hall. The magnificent beast was striding forward as if he owned the place. Reverent gazes were turned in the lion's direction as everyone silently made way.

The lion stopped in front of Steven. He looked up at the boy who had Rose's gem, his face hosting no particular emotion.

Steven pressed his hands to his cheeks.

“Aww, he wants to join our party,” he said.

He'd forgotten all about the lion, but he was happy Lion seemed to want to tag along. Another piece of Rose Quartz to accompany them on their journey. Steven liked to think that would turn things even more in their favor.

“Permission granted,” said Steven.

Lion yawned in reply, but he didn't wander off. He walked over to Connie and stood beside her. He normally didn't respond well to people trying to touch him, but he had a special bond with Connie. He let her rest her hand on his head.

Garnet turned away from the four of them. She looked over her shoulder, mostly addressing Steven.

“You should go,” she said. “The longer we wait, the further away Jasper gets.”

She smiled.

“We believe in you, Steven,” she said.

The sentiment was echoed throughout the main hall. A cacophony of voices announced their agreement.

Steven wiped a tear from his eye. He was starting to have a lot more faith in both himself and their mission. He didn't just believe in himself. Steven believed in all of them. He might not know what he was in for, but he'd embrace it with open arms.

The doors of the main hall slid open. The four of them walked outside together, into an unknown that suddenly didn't feel so scary.


	6. Secrets and Shards

Steven swatted at a persistent insect, his fingers lightly grazing its papery wings.

“Um, why didn't we take the Warp Pad?” he said.

He was embarrassed that the question had only now come to him. They'd been walking quite a while—about an hour according to his watch—in near-silence. His desperation for a conversation starter had drawn out the obvious question. They should have had a thousand things to say, yet none of them could speak.

They were traversing some vast forest area outside of the Quartz Kingdom. Even with a map, Steven wondered how Connie and Amethyst seemed to know the way. The area was undoubtedly beautiful, but the trees all looked the same. Yet the Gem and the human were expertly weaving through the wood and leaf behemoths as if they did it everyday.

Connie stopped, pressing her hand against a tree trunk. She turned and threw Steven a smile over her shoulder.

“No Warp Pads directly to the Lazuli Lands,” she said. “We'll have to take a boat.”

Steven frowned. That didn't sound right. He'd always been led to the believe that all the Gem settlements were basically interconnected. They were all once part of the Diamond Republic after all.

Sensing Steven's puzzlement, Connie went on.

“Lapis is kind of... _private_ ,” she said. “Holly Blue at least tolerates us, but Lapis made an effort to cut herself off from the other settlements.”

Steven contemplated for a moment.

“Then why don't we take a ship?” he said.

He was kind of eager to jump into one of those high-tech Gem ships. There were a whole bunch of them outside the castle. Before coming to the Quartz Kingdom, Steven had only seen pictures of them. A photo couldn't properly convey the full scope of those behemoths and their capabilities.

Amethyst answered this time. Her and Lion were walking ahead of Steven and Connie.

“We could take a ship halfway, but Lapis has some kind of tower-thingy that makes our Gem tech go crazy,” said Amethyst. “Lapis really wants to keep us away.”

She smiled sadly.

“She still hasn't forgiven the Quartz Kingdom,” Amethyst said.

Steven was about to ask how the kingdom had wronged Lapis, but he was distracted. He whipped his head around. Was that a shape—a big shape—moving among the trees? He felt certain he'd glimpsed something out of the corner of his eye. But who or what would be out in the forest?

A bear, Steven thought involuntarily.

He clutched at his gemstone. Logically, Steven realized he shouldn't fear wildlife. After all, he was the one with a magic shield. But nonetheless, Steven was uneasy. He couldn't shake the feeling that what he'd seen wasn't some ursine menace prowling around the forest.

“Um, guys, there aren't any big scary animals out here, are there?” said Steven.

He tried to sound casual, like he imagined his mother might sound. He could feel himself failing from the very first word.

Amethyst looked up at the trees for a minute, then turned to look at Steven.

“Nah, just big scary monsters,” she said.

Steven started to sigh in relief. No bears. Probably no coyotes or wolves either. Shield or not, he wasn't eager to pit himself against a trained predator. However, then he completely processed Amethyst's words.

“Monsters?” he said.

He'd thought so-called “monsters” were just stories to keep gullible children in line. His father had never told him any of those spooky bedtime stories, but Steven had overheard the neighborhood kids talking about what nonsense those tales were.

Connie turned grim, as if she'd suddenly remembered the danger. Her hand fell upon the hilt of the sword, her keen eyes scanning the surrounding forest area. It was hard to tell if anything was lurking in the immediate vicinity. Too many trees and thick foliage blocking Connie's view.

“Gem monsters,” she said. “We catch and bubble as many as we can, but there's always more.”

Capturing Gem monsters had been a key part of Connie's early training. She'd started off small, with Pearl always in attendance to keep the situation under control. Once Connie became an actual knight, hunting Gem monsters would be part of her regular duties.

Amethyst half-pulled her whip from her gemstone. She'd gone into threat mode without thinking.

“Do you hear that?” she said.

They all heard it. Rustling. The crackling of leaves being stepped on, branches being broken. Something huge was making its way through the forest. Even the insects had fled at its approach.

Connie started to withdraw her sword.

“It might not be after us,” she said. “We haven't been making that much noise.”

Even Lion had gone silent. He was standing alert, his gaze focused forward.

Steven was standing still, alert but unsure what to do. He hadn't expected his first fight this close to home. He'd been hoping to avoid violent altercations altogether.

Connie stepped in front of Steven protectively. As she had promised Greg, keeping Steven safe was her top priority. As she placed herself between Steven and the potential danger, she carefully tracked the sound. Connie was starting to get an idea of where the monster would appear.

A massive creature emerged in front of them. At first glance, it seemed to be a combination of multicolored body parts. A collection of arms and legs haphazardly attached to one another. But a second look revealed there to be some semblance of a body to hold all of those mismatched limbs.

Connie involuntarily recoiled at the sight. She'd seen her fair share of Gem monsters, both in books and in real life. But this was far beyond the limits of her experience. For the first time, Connie was actually frightened.

The creature charged at the group, most of its badly proportioned limbs flapping behind it as it ran. It had no visible face, only a bizarre Y-shaped gemstone stuck in the middle of where a face might have resided. It was surprisingly quick on its mismatched legs.

Lion opened his mouth and roared. A wave of sound knocked the creature backwards, sending it into a tree. The creature hit the sturdy wood and slid to the ground, seemingly knocked senseless by the impact.

Overcoming her fear, Connie brandished her sword. She remembered that she'd pledged her life to Steven's cause. A real knight wouldn't hesitate. With a battle cry, Connie ran forward to finish off the stunned monster.

But if the monster had been stunned, it recovered at Connie's approach. It unsteadily got to its mismatched legs, its back still against the tree and two pairs of arms dangling uselessly. The creature raised its one pair of working arms and ran to meet Connie, its body again displaying surprising agility.

Amethyst stood completely frozen, the whip halfway out of her Gem. She seemed to have been terrified speechless.

Connie ducked to avoid a barrage of fists. She attempted to jam her sword into the creature's chest, but it swung its body sideways. Connie cried out as one of its dangling arms caught her in the face with enough force to snap her head backwards. She stumbled back at the blow, nearly dropping the sword as one hand reflexively went to her eye.

“Connie!” Steven shouted.

The creature raised its fists, preparing to land a blow upon Connie's head. Before it could knock her unconscious, she dropped and rolled out of the way to avoid the blow. Connie then jumped to her feet, sword at the ready as the creature straightened up.

A pink shield cut through the air like a flying disc. It hit the creature in the back of the head. The impact forced the creature to stumble forward, rather dazed as it tried to regain balance with its mismatched legs.

Connie thrust the sword forward, driving it into the creature's chest. It sank in with very little resistance, piercing the creature's body. Connie gave one strong upward thrust, forcing the blade upward and through the creature's head. In an instant, the thing's entire body dissolved, followed by that familiar puff of smoke. When the gemstone fell to the ground, Connie finally stepped back.

Steven ran up to her, concerned.

“Are you okay?” he said.

She looked fine to him, but he still felt the need to ask. The only sign that Connie had been in a fight was her black eye. Other than that, she'd survived the encounter untouched.

Connie patted her waist and her chest, as if she too wondered if she was alright. Finding no bruises or scrapes, she smiled.

“Yeah, I'm great,” she said.

She picked up the dropped gemstone. Connie frowned as she analyzed it. It didn't look like any gem she'd ever seen. In fact, it more resembled some cruel mockery of a gemstone, much like that creature had looked like some halfhearted imitation of a Gem monster.

“Are these gem shards?” she said.

She started to turn the gem over and examine it closer, but Amethyst snatched it out of her hand. Connie jumped, having completely forgotten that it wasn't just her, Steven, and Lion.

“Wait, I should examine..,” Connie started.

But Amethyst was already bubbling the gem. She looked as if she was about to either vomit or pass out. Connie had never seen Amethyst so distinctly rattled. Even Steven could tell that the behavior wasn't ordinary. Before any questions could be asked, Amethyst had sent the gem on its way.

“Let's keep going,” said Amethyst. “We should get to the dock before sundown.”

She attempted the cool authority of Garnet, but her voice was quivering. She started walking without waiting for the other three to respond.

Connie and Steven quickly followed, Lion bringing up the rear.

Steven eyed Amethyst for a moment, then leaned close to Connie and whispered to her.

“What was that thing?” he said.

The question almost made Connie stop in her tracks. She laid her hand rather firmly upon the sword hilt, her face stern.

“I don't know,” she said.

Steven could tell she was more disturbed than she was willing to let on. Not knowing was probably a rarity for someone like her. The fact that someone like Connie was as clueless as he was worried Steven. He brushed a finger against his ring, wondering if he should give Pearl a call and start asking questions. But if Amethyst seemed unwilling to talk, how could he expect Pearl to be more accommodating?

A few minutes later, they finally emerged from the woods. Steven was momentarily dazed, having gotten used to trees. But before him was a long empty expanse of grass. The field gave way to something, but Steven couldn't make it out from where he stood. He squinted and shielded his eyes, trying to see what lay at the other side of the field.

“Yo Steven, you coming?” called Amethyst.

Steven noticed that he had fallen behind again. Embarrassed, he ran to catch up. He eventually came up beside Connie, who'd slowed down for his benefit.

“We're almost there,” said Connie.

Steven nodded, again squinting into the distance. He was straining for some kind of conversation reviver. He didn't want their encounter with that creature to have killed their friendly chit-chat. A long journey without talking was worse than any harrowing adventure.

“Uh, Connie, why did you decide to become a knight?” he said.

Connie tapped the sword hilt thoughtfully.

“I guess I wanted to make a difference,” she said. “There's so much magic and mystery in the Quartz Kingdom, but so few humans get to see it. You can live there your entire life and never even realize all the crazy stuff going on behind the scenes. Well, aside from the occasional Gem monster attack.”

She sighed in a wistful fashion, recalling the early days of her training. So much enthusiasm. She'd never quite lost that, even though there had been periods of doubt. What kept Connie going was the belief that being a knight was her calling. Pearl had said so and Connie had taken those words to heart.

“I wanted to be a part of it,” she said. “Wouldn't you?”

Steven tightly clutched the straps of his backpack. He took his time answering.

“I think I want to be a part of it, but who knows?” he said. “Sometimes I think I'm just trying to be my mom. But it's like my dad said. I'm not my mom.”

He hadn't thought about what those words actually meant. Obviously Steven's wasn't his mother, gemstone or not. But it went deeper than that physical comparison. Steven knew he'd never be beloved or respected as much as Rose Quartz. He understood that, yet he was still putting himself through this quest as if completing it would solve all of his problems. Steven wondered if he really was the silly little child Pearl obviously thought him to be.

Connie gave Steven that reassuring smile of hers.

“You'll do fine,” she said.

They both stopped, having reached what stood at the end of the field.

It was a dock. The Quartz Kingdom didn't have much use for such mundane methods of travel, but Rose Quartz had wanted to keep them readily available. Tied up at the dock was the Quartz Kingdom's one and only completely ocean-bound vessel. It was a large boat with the familiar rose and gem symbol emblazoned on the side in place of a name.

“Whoa,” said Steven.

Despite living in a beachside town, he'd never been on a boat. The opportunity had always escaped him. It had become somewhat of an ambition. Steven was about to add another entry to his rapidly expanding list of new experiences.

Amethyst had already climbed aboard by the time Steven and Connie got there. She waved to them from the deck, the smile back on her face. Steven was relieved to see that Amethyst had become her normal self. That haunted look had left her eye, replaced with a mischievous glint.

“Hurry it up, you two,” she said. “This Gem ain't got all day.”

Steven and Connie eagerly climbed aboard. Judging by the latter's reaction, she'd never been on a boat either. The shared excitement of a brand new experience caused them to share yet another big grin.

Lion followed reluctantly, eying the water with suspicion. But once he was on board, he seemed to lose all interest in the ocean. He collapsed onto the deck with a long yawn, then closed his eyes and presumably drifted off for another long nap.

“No Gem tech,” said Amethyst. “There's some light stuff, but otherwise it's clean.”

Steven was again preparing to ask about Lapis. He was eager to meet more Gems, but so far he was unsure. Why did so many of them seem to dislike the Quartz Kingdom? In fact, asking himself that question made Steven realize that a lot of Gems inside the kingdom seemed to dislike it. He was starting to worry that the kingdom his mother had built wasn't as Utopian as his father had made it out to be.

Connie asked a question before Steven could speak. Since the question she asked had more immediate importance, Steven briefly forgot about Lapis.

“Whose driving the boat?” she said.

Amethyst grinned and stomped her foot on the deck. Even though the boat looked like it was made of wood, it sounded like it was made of something sturdier. A careful blend of human and Gem engineering seemed likely. The Gems had brought a lot of interesting and unique materials from their exploration of the cosmos.

“This thing drives itself,” said Amethyst. “Awesome, right? And since it's technically not Gem tech, Lazuli's dumb interference won't work.”

She went over to a somewhat concealed hatch. She pulled it open to reveal a ladder leading down into a small bedroom area. Amethyst turned and gave Steven a toothy smirk.

“You first, Captain Universe,” she said.

Steven obligingly walked over and descended the ladder. He was so giddy with excitement that he almost let go of the rungs. Steven held on firmly, trying to keep himself from bursting with enthusiasm. He felt like an ecstatic little kid. Steven hadn't been that enthusiastic about traveling since he was much younger and pulling all-nighters with his dad on the way to purchase car wash supplies.

The bedroom area was just big enough to fit everything they'd brought. It had two beds, one on either side of the tiny room. That was about it, save for a little cabinet next to the ladder. It was the simplest room Steven had ever seen, but he loved it.

He felt a lurch as presumably the boat started on its journey. Steven threw his backpack and duffel bag on the bed, then scrambled back up the ladder and onto the deck. No way he was missing this. Steven wanted to wave goodbye, even though there was no one to see them off.

Standing in the middle of the deck with everyone else, Steven felt a flutter in his stomach. They were really going. They were heading away from the Quartz Kingdom, away from what Rose Quartz had created and into uncharted waters. He couldn't help thinking about that strange creature they'd faced in the forest. Were there other things out there? Worse things? If so, how many of them would they encounter before they found Jasper?

Steven shuddered. The air suddenly felt chillier, more foreboding. He couldn't back out. It was too late to go home.

 

* * *

 

Steven sat on his bed, idly playing with his ring. He wanted to call Pearl. No, not Pearl. Garnet. He wanted to call Garnet. If anyone was going to answer his questions, it would be her. Or would it?

He lay down on his side and heaved a sigh. He got the feeling people—not just Pearl, but everyone—were hiding things from him. There seemed to be so many half-truths buried in every conversation Steven had had in the past day. Even his dad might very well have been holding something back. Steven felt like even more of a child as he contemplated the numerous bits of information that were being intentionally withheld from him.

He rolled onto his back. In all the books he'd read, the hero's journey was always filled with misfortune. But no matter what the enemies threw in the hero's path, they always had something up their sleeve. Steven wondered what he had up his sleeve, other than his shield.

The hatch opened. The brief flash of light reminded Steven that it wasn't even afternoon yet. He sat up as someone descended the ladder.

Connie skipped the last two rungs, easily landing on her feet. She must have tired of the beautiful yet unchanging view above. Or maybe she was worried about Steven. According to the look on her face, it was probably both.

“You okay down here?” she said.

She sat on the other bed and smiled. Steven had thought he wanted to be alone, but he was glad to see her. Her smile made him feel comfortable, like he could talk to her about anything.

Steven noticed that she still had the black eye. It was nothing compared to the battle scars across her arms, but Steven felt a little guilty for not throwing his shield a little bit sooner. He wondered how she'd gotten those scars. Steven wanted to ask, but he thought it might be an inappropriate question to ask someone he'd met fairly recently.

“Is your eye okay?” he said.

Connie touched her eye. She had forgotten about the one injury she'd sustained during the fight.

“Yeah, it's alright,” she said. “Still hurts a little, but it should be fine. Don't worry about it.”

She leaned forward curiously.

“What was up with that shield thing you did?” she said. “I knew you had Rose's shield and everything, but I didn't know you could fight with it.”

Steven turned slightly pink. He also hadn't known he could fight with it. He'd done it in the heat of the moment, his mind focused entirely on helping Connie. Steven didn't want anyone to get hurt for his sake, even if Connie had vowed to protect him.

“I had a lot of time to practice,” he said. “I've never had a lot of friends, so I spent most of my time learning about my powers.”

Connie looked Steven up and down. She found it hard to imagine him without several partners in crime. But she had no idea what it was like to be a half-Gem half-human hybrid among regular people. An anomaly like him would have drawn all sorts of bad attention and rumors.

“What else can you do?” said Connie.

Steven shrugged.

“I don't know,” he said. “I didn't really have anyone to teach me anything, so I had to learn everything myself. It took me three years to figure out how to summon my shield.”

He looked down at his gemstone.

“I think it has to do with my emotions?” he said. “I've been trying to figure it out.”

Summoning his shield had been a huge accomplishment, even though the first few times were entirely by accident. The shield was evidence that he had more than Rose's gem. It was proof he was as much a Gem as he was a human. Even though this fact had isolated him from most of the other neighborhood kids, it made Steven happy. The accomplishment he'd felt when he first voluntarily willed the shield into existence had never been matched.

Connie pointed at the hatch.

“How about we do a little training?” she said.

Steven agreed with enthusiasm. He'd never had a training buddy—or even a teacher—before. It would be nice to test the limits of his powers on something other than inanimate objects or aggressive seagulls.

The two of them ascended the ladder to the deck. Steven was again surprised by how early in the day it was. He felt it should have been nearing evening, but it was barely the middle of the afternoon. It seemed that time had flown while also moving at an incredibly slow speed.

Amethyst and Lion were sleeping side by side on the deck.

“Aww, nap buddies,” commented Steven.

Connie had grabbed her sword before they went up the ladder. She turned to face Steven, holding the sword in the exact way Pearl had taught her. Her mind was being flooded with years of careful instruction. She vividly remembered every single lesson Pearl had taught her, from the basics to the more advanced fare.

“Okay, let's see what you can do,” she said.

Without warning, she ran at Steven. That was the very first lesson Pearl had taught her: opponents don't hesitate. Connie had learned that shortly after Pearl knocked her on her butt during their first training session.

Although startled, Steven managed to get his shield out. Connie swept the blade downward, the shield catching the sword in mid-swing. It hit the shield firmly, the blow causing no visible damage to it. It was just as resilient as it looked.

Connie backed away, sword still aloft.

“Not bad,” she said.

The blade sliced through the air again. This time it almost caught Steven off guard. He only just managed to block it. He actually stumbled backward as he did so, unsteady on his feet at his own sudden movements and rattled at the second surprise attack.

Another swing of the blade. This time Steven was forced to stumble back, foregoing the shield entirely. He knew he was supposed to be taking his training seriously, but he half-laughed as he dodged the sword again.

“No fair,” he said. “You're way better than me.”

Connie shrugged and smirked.

“Well, I have been training since I was about twelve,” she said. “Plus I played a whole lot of tennis before then. You're basically outmatched.”

Her and Steven circled each other. He held his shield protectively before him, prepared for her next attack. Steven doubted he was going to win the fight by any measure, but it was kind of fun. He could see that Connie wasn't being one hundred percent serious in her attempts to break his defense.

Connie ran at Steven again. Her sword almost instantly met his shield. Laughing, she backed away and gave the sword a theatrical little spin. She held it out in front of her, her feet slightly apart and her eyes focused. Serious or not, Connie always went into battle mode.

“You think I'm good enough to defeat Jasper?” said Steven.

Connie admired the hopefulness in his voice. But as much as she liked Steven's optimism, she had to be real with him.

“Jasper is going to be twenty times harder than me,” she said. “Twenty times harder than any of the Gems you've met. Even Garnet would have trouble with her.”

She continued, feeling a lot like Pearl.

“Every move you make has to be perfect,” she said.

Steven remembered the attack he'd just barely managed to block. His heart sank. Steven had never been in a real fight before. As violent as they were, angry seagulls were hardly challenging adversaries. Even with that mysterious Gem creature, he'd largely been out of it. Steven realized how utterly unprepared he was to face anyone who was actually trying to end him.

Connie attempted to restore the carefree atmosphere with a smile.

“Wanna take a break?” she said. “I'm parched.”

The two of them went below deck again, leaving Amethyst and Lion to their nap.

Steven dug through the supplies until he found something to drink. Pearl had packed them plenty of water. Juice would have been preferable, but Steven couldn't complain. He hadn't had a drink since they'd left the castle. He took one bottle and gave another to Connie.

“Before, you said you knew something important about my mom,” he said. “What was it?”

Connie took her time answering. She tilted her head back, gulping down water as if she hadn't had a drink in weeks. But eventually she had to stop and answer Steven's question. She could hardly look at him as she did.

“Pearl and Garnet don't like to talk about Rose,” said Connie. “But when you're living in the castle, it's hard not to hear stuff.”

The hesitation was all over her face, but Connie pressed on.

“I've heard a lot of bad things about your mom,” she said. “Never from Pearl or Rose, but from other Gems. Bismuth and some of the Rubies mostly. The way Eyeball talks about her sometimes, you'd think she was a criminal.”

She felt terrible for saying that. However, it was the truth. Connie never meant to eavesdrop. It was always a matter of being in a good place at the wrong time. She always tried to close her ears, because she knew it was none of her business. But nevertheless, Connie heard things.

Steven sat down on his bed.

“A criminal?” he said.

Greg saw Rose Quartz as a paragon of beauty and kindness. Steven saw Rose as a wonderful yet mysterious figure looming over his life. Pearl seemed to worship Rose. Garnet seemed to believe Rose had been a partially flawless leader. All of those descriptions might have been valid in their own way, but Connie was painting a whole new picture for Steven. A picture of Rose Quartz as someone dark, someone with numerous secrets, someone who might have been a liar. Someone to fear and suspect.

But if Rose Quartz was some shady, ominous figure, what did that make Steven?

He knew the answer to that question. Steven was another one of Rose's secrets.


	7. Water Damage

Steven rolled over in bed.

Sleep appeared to be impossible. After the day he'd had, he should have been asleep the second he hit the pillow. But Steven was awake, switching between his left side, his right side, and his back. None of the positions he tried were comfortable.

Maybe it was the movement of the boat. Shortly after dinner, Steven had begun feeling a little seasick. Going below deck had helped, but he could still feel the movement. However, there was nothing Steven could do about that. He just wanted to drift off into dreamland.

Even from across the room, Steven could hear Connie's slow breaths. He was jealous. Clearly she had no trouble sleeping.

He reached over and grabbed his backpack from the floor. Steven wasn't sure what he wanted with it. But picking it up seemed the right thing to do, even though it led him further away from sleep.

Steven sat up in bed, backpack in his lap. As there was little else to do, he started going through it. There wasn't much that warranted a comment or a second glance. He pulled out some books, a pencil case, an inflatable raft, and some other things he'd packed just in case. Steven sighed, realizing he hadn't really packed for a big adventure.

He frowned as his fingers brushed against something unfamiliar. He closed his hand around the small object and withdrew it, a quizzical expression on his face. Steven squinted into the relative darkness, turning the thing over in his hand. With only a little rechargeable lantern for light, he almost didn't recognize the item. It was the ring Pearl had given him. Steven had stashed it in his backpack because he didn't want to sleep with it on.

Pearl. Steven eyed the ring for a moment. He glanced at Connie's sleeping form, then at Amethyst curled up on the floor like a dog next to Lion. He felt like if he did what he was considering, he'd be hiding something from them. Suddenly Steven would be the one keeping secrets. Could he really do that to them?

His hand shaking somewhat, Steven activated the ring. He had to know. Maybe Amethyst wouldn't tell him, but he had to believe that someone would.

The screen popped up almost instantly. There were a few seconds of what seemed to be interference. During that brief period, Steven considered deactivating the ring. The more he hesitated, the more he thought he'd be better off keeping quiet. He might have embarked on his adventure partly for answers, but Steven also wanted to keep the peace between him and everyone else. He was trying his best not to step on nerves, especially when it came to Pearl.

Unfortunately, those brief seconds were all Steven had to contemplate. When the interference vanished, Pearl's face appeared on the holographic screen. She looked mildly startled.

“Steven!” she said. “Is everything alright? Do you need me to send one of the Rubies with extra supplies?”

Steven's heart swelled momentarily when he heard the concern in her voice. So she did care about him. But after that blissful moment passed, Steven's heart immediately sank. No, Pearl didn't care about him. She cared about the mission, about them finding and capturing Jasper. His well-being was just an afterthought in all of that.

“No, we're okay,” he said. “I just had some questions.”

The patience and concern instantly dissipated. Steven could only see Pearl's face, but he imagined her putting her hands on her hips.

“You should have asked them at the castle,” she said. “Really Steven. We don't have time for this. You should be planning out your strategy.”

Steven fiddled with the ring. He couldn't hang up, but he wanted to. The deeper he got, the less he wanted to do this. His quest to find out about Rose Quartz was leading him down some uncomfortably cramped hallways.

“What do you know about Gem monsters?” he said.

He could actually see her working out what he was really asking. A wide range of emotions appeared on and then rapidly left her face. Hesitation, followed by slight anger, then suppressed misery, then utter peril, and finally a forced calm that wouldn't have fooled Steven if he was eight years old. Pearl tried to sound motherly and serene when she spoke, but he could tell the question had completely stressed her out.

“That's nothing to do with your mission,” she said. “We can talk about it when you return, but for now you should focus on finding Jasper. You are headed to the Lazuli Lands, correct? Is the trip going smoothly?”

Her terrible attempt at making casual conversation annoyed Steven more than if she'd dismissed the topic. Why couldn't anyone ever be one hundred percent straightforward with him? Why were their efforts to hide the truth so consistent?

“Did my mom have something to do with that monster we saw in the forest?” he said.

He felt awful the second the question came out of him. But Steven didn't take back the accusation. He knew basically nothing about Rose Quartz. For all he knew, she was responsible for every terrible thing that had ever happened to Gemkind.

Pearl looked outraged.

_“What?_ ” she said. “Of course not! Rose Quartz was one of the most honorable Gems you could ever meet. She would never have done something so awful. How could you even think something like that?”

Steven was about to either apologize or start pelting Pearl with more questions. In his state of mind, either would have satisfied him. But he stopped, reflecting on what Pearl had just said. It came to Steven's attention that he had never actually told Pearl about the monster in the forest until that moment.

“Has Amethyst been talking to you behind my back?” he said.

Guilt flashed across Pearl's face for a split second, then she became stern.

“I know you are technically in a position of authority, but this is a matter for Gems to discuss...,” she began.

Steven cut across her.

“What did you mean by “something so awful”?” he said. “What was that thing? Why are you and Amethyst talking about it behind my back?”

He hurried on before Pearl could reply, his voice rising. He was angry. Truly angry. It felt almost nice to be that level of pissed off. Steven had never before felt so isolated from the truth, so betrayed by others. He'd thought the Quartz Kingdom would be a sort of escape, but it felt more like a trap.

“I'm a Gem too,” he said. “Why won't you talk to me like one? Why do you keep trying to keep me out of things like I'm some dumb kid? That's not what Rose would have wanted.”

Pearl's voice rose as well, becoming more high-pitched and slightly manic.

“You are talking about things you don't understand,” she said. “What Rose Quartz wanted was for everyone to be happy. That's the only thing she ever wanted.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling as if she was cold. Her voice lowered ever so slightly, but there was ire mixed in with the misery. Steven couldn't tell where this ire was directed. It certainly wasn't pointed entirely in his direction.

“I thought that was what she wanted,” said Pearl. “But she left us. She left me alone and I didn't know what to do. I still don't know what to do.”

She looked at her own quivering hand.

“I can't do anything on my own,” she said. “I need someone, I need her to tell me what to do.”

Pearl closed her eyes. She looked and sounded defeated, like she'd been battling herself long before Steven called.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “I can't... I'll be fine. Goodbye.”

She hung up.

Steven stared at the ring. He wished he'd said something to comfort her. But he knew anything he said would have only worsened her pain. He'd only been in her life for less than three days. She'd intentionally closed him out ever since they met. Steven couldn't begin to think of a way to make her feel better.

_Is this who Rose Quartz really is?_ he wondered.

He wanted to believe what Pearl had said about Rose wanting everyone to be happy. But Pearl was right. Rose had left a lot behind: her kingdom, a forever distraught Pearl, unfinished business that seemed to extend beyond anything Steven understood. For what? For him? But Steven had simply ended up thrown into the middle of it, more helpless than Rose Quartz had ever been.

Steven dug through his backpack until he found the picture. The castle was filled with portraits depicting Rose Quartz as some flawless Gem heroine, but that photo showed a different side of her. It presented Rose as regal and perfect, yet in humorous contrast with the man who stood next to her. They were a unique yet oddly wonderful match. Looking at photographic evidence of his parents being happy together, Steven found it hard to accept that his mother had abandoned anyone. Which version of Rose was the real Rose, the one Steven was supposed to be emulating?

He steadily fell into a troubled sleep, the photo in his hands and questions weighing down his thoughts.

 

* * *

 

  
Steven woke up earlier than he intended. In the absence of an obvious culprit for this, he blamed the movement of the boat. Grumbling, Steven pulled the covers over his head and implored himself to fall asleep.

Sounds from the deck drifted into the little room. He heard what sounded like Connie training, as well as Amethyst laughing at something. Despite his tiredness, Steven grinned into his sheets. He was happy that the others were having fun without him.

_I could always stay down here until we get there_ , he thought.

He sighed miserably. Maybe staying away from everyone was for the best. Steven had a feeling that his presence might be causing more harm than good, especially in regards to Amethyst. The last thing he wanted was to make her remember that he wasn't Rose Quartz.

Steven hugged his pillow. He felt like he needed a good cry, but the tears wouldn't come.

The boat gave an unusually violent lurch. It felt like a tremor had passed through the entire boat, causing everything in the tiny room to vibrate.

Steven sat up in bed. He was no expert on boats, but he was sure that wasn't normal. What could have caused that? Some kind of undersea earthquake? He wasn't sure those existed, but it was the only explanation that came to mind.

The boat shook again. This time Steven felt compelled to clutch his bed, even though he was in no danger of falling off. Whatever was going on, it wasn't good and it probably wasn't a quake of any kind. It felt as if some massive creature was gently shaking the boat, trying to figure out how strong it was.

Steven imagined some enormous sea creature, its tentacles experimentally prodding the relatively small vessel. The creature was going to get bored. When it did, it would either leave the boat alone or decide to get more creative. Steven dreaded to imagine what a huge sea monster would do to a boat.

He jumped off the bed. Steven spun around in a circle, his gaze assessing the room in rapid bursts. He didn't see anything that would help him fend off a gigantic sea creature. He had his shield, but he was again in uncharted territory. It was the second time in two days that he was going to need it. Maybe this was just going to be Steven's life from then on.

Another lurch of the boat sent him running to the ladder. He hastily climbed, opening the hatch and throwing himself onto the deck. Steven expected total chaos, but everything was surprisingly comprehensible. He saw Connie, Amethyst, and Lion standing close together in the middle of the deck.

“What's going on?” he said.

Connie pointed at something in the water.

Steven turned, fully expecting to see some awful sea creature peering at them with malice in its eyes. His second guess was Jasper. He didn't expect to see her this early into the adventure, but that strange Gem creature in the forest had convinced him that anything was possible. But when his eyes landed on what Connie had been pointing at, he froze in bemusement and shock.

There was a Gem standing on the water. No, not standing on the water. Steven had to look for a few more seconds to notice, but the Gem was actually standing on something just beneath the water. She was standing on the back of some enormous creature, the creature's form scarcely visible underneath the waves.

She was unlike any other Gem Steven had seen, although that was going to be true for every new Gem he met. There was something bug-like about her appearance, particularly how her outfit resembled a shell. Her skin was a sort of light-ish green and her messy white hair resembled a massive lion's mane atop her head. From where he stood, Steven could see that her eyes didn't match. One of her eyes was rounder than the other and looked rather mechanical.

“Centipeedle?” said Amethyst.

Steven frowned at the weird name. But before he could focus on it, he realized that Amethyst had obviously recognized this Gem. Did all Gems know each other or was it a much smaller world than Steven imagined? He again felt like information—pertinent information—was being held from him, as if everyone around him thought he was an innocent baby.

“What is she doing out here?” said Connie.

As if she'd heard, Centipeedle suddenly jumped from the creature's back. With an impressive leap, her feet left her precarious perch. She somersaulted in the air like a practiced gymnast, flying toward the ship with an impossible amount of speed and agility. She landed on the railing, expertly steadying herself as if she was walking on a tightrope.

“What business do you have in this place?” she said.

Steven was too blown away by Centipeedle's acrobatic stunt to answer. He just gaped, wondering if he could somehow learn to do that.

Amethyst rolled her eyes, laughing and crossing her arms. She'd seemed alarmed when she'd first caught sight of Centipeedle, but she'd quickly become amused. The two Gems eyed each other, not like old friends but like two members of the same alien race who'd run across each other on favorable occasions. Steven noted how Amethyst was the first to sheepishly break eye contact, while Centipeedle held her gaze for a good minute.

“What, _in the middle of the ocean_?” said Amethyst. “Are you one of Lapis's goons now? Does she _own_ the ocean?”

Centipeedle looked back at the enormous sea creature. She watched it disappear under the waves, then returned her attention to Amethyst.

“You are nearing her lands so, yes, in a way, she does indeed own the ocean,” said Centipeedle. “I encourage you to turn back.”

Connie spoke up. Her hand had drifted to her sword at the sight of Centipeedle, but she'd relaxed. She spoke in her most authoritative tone. Admittedly, Connie could get pretty authoritative when she wanted to. She sounded a bit like a stern headmistress when she addressed Centipeedle.

“We have business with Lapis Lazuli,” she said. “I assume you have your own business nearby.”

But Centipeedle shook her head. Her gaze had been drifting between Amethyst and Steven. She hadn't focused on Steven in particular, so she likely had no idea who or what he was. She probably thought he was just a random human. Nevertheless, Steven thought he saw a flicker of recognition before her eye zeroed in on Connie.

“I'm meeting up with my crew to patrol near the Agate Empire,” she said. “We've gotten wind of a possible Jasper sighting in the area.”

Amethyst pretended to yawn, tucking her arms behind her head.

“Yeah right,” she said. “Garnet would have told us if Jasper had been spotted again.”

Steven bit his tongue. Garnet definitely would have told Connie and Amethyst, but what about him? Would she have told him? He didn't like slipping into that mindset, but it kept creeping up on him.

Centipeedle smiled. It wasn't friendly, but it also wasn't smug. She looked sad, as if she pitied the three of them for being so far out of the loop.

“You might be right,” she said. “But the description....”

Amethyst laughed. Her laugh was just a little too loud and boisterous, like she was trying to pop the expanding bubble of tension.

“Seriously?” she said. “A description of some Gem who looks like Jasper near the Agate Empire? You're not this dumb, Centipeedle. I know you're not.”

Centipeedle sighed. Again she sounded sad rather than smug.

“Good luck,” she said.

She turned and leaped off the boat. The massive undersea beast reared itself as she did so, its broad back poking out of the water. Centipeedle landed in the very middle of its back, regaining her footing with ease. Steven again admired the elegant grace with which she moved.

Steven waved to Centipeedle. Surprisingly, she actually waved back. She even met his grin with one of her own. He was sorry he hadn't spoken to her. Steven hoped they could meet again and he could ask her some questions.

Connie looked at Amethyst, worried.

“That's not true, right?” she said. “Jasper's nowhere near the Agate Empire.”

Amethyst didn't answer. She left the deck without replying, disappearing down the ladder and into that small room. Steven heard the hatch slam shot behind her. He was pretty sure she was about to call Garnet or maybe Pearl.

Steven wasn't sure how to approach the situation in his mind. He felt like he was watching a beautiful relationship dissolve into a series of lies and mistakes. Was it somehow his fault? Had his coming back triggered all this? Steven lightly touched his gemstone through his shirt. Regardless of what he thought about Rose, he accepted that she would have known what to do. Maybe only someone like Rose Quartz could have put things right between Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst.

“Whose Centipeedle?” he said.

Connie stared at where Centipeedle had been standing. The spot was now just another empty patch of ocean, both the creature and the Gem having hastily moved along.

“The former leader of the Quartz Kingdom's military force,” she said. “I think she went rogue or something around the time Rose Quartz disappeared. Her and her crew kind of just do their own thing now.”

She paused.

“So she's looking for Jasper now?” she mused. “Interesting.”

Steven gazed at the ocean, watching the waves gently churn around and underneath the boat. If he stared long enough, he could feel himself moving along with them. It was a surreal feeling. He wondered if Connie had the same experience. But rather than asking her that, he settled on something more pressing.

“Do you think there are others?” he said. “Looking for Jasper, I mean. She's kind of a big deal, isn't she?”

Connie nodded.

“The biggest,” she said. “She's crazy dangerous. She's just one Quartz, but she's caused more trouble for the Quartz Kingdom than an entire army. I admire her in a way.”

She frowned.

“There's one thing I don't get,” she said. “You know about fusion, right?”

Steven nodded. Fusion was something Greg had told him about. Back when Steven had been young enough to believe all those stories about giant monsters, Greg had quelled his son's fears by explaining the concept of fusion. Steven didn't know how his father knew about it, but the explanation made him less scared of the possible behemoths lurking in the dark.

“So why don't Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl just form Alexandrite and go after Jasper themselves?” said Connie. “There's no way Jasper is more powerful than a three-Gem fusion.”

Steven touched the Gem in his belly. An idea had come to him when Connie mentioned fusion. It wasn't something that had come to him before, despite Greg explaining fusion to him when he was fairly young. It had been hard for him to connect himself with Gem stuff, even though he knew he had powers. But now that he'd met so many Gems, Steven realized just how much he was a part of that world.

“Do you think _I_ could fuse?” he said. “I've never tried, but...”

He blushed. Fusion had always sounded so intimate and personal. He couldn't imagine doing it. But surely his mother had done it many times before. Maybe fusing would give him an edge against Jasper. It could be the answer to all his problems.

Connie patted Steven's shoulder.

“I'm sure you could,” she said. “Anything is possible, right?”

Steven looked at his belly, then at the vast ocean before them. They were nearing the Lazuli Lands. Before they knew it, they'd be at the border. Then the real challenges would begin. Steven wasn't prepared.

“Anything is possible,” he said.

That anxious feeling in his gut wasn't leaving. Maybe a storm was on its way.


	8. Shipwrecked

The Lazuli Lands looked exactly as they appeared on the map: a series of islands about five or so miles apart from one another. However, a map's interpretation could only go so far. No matter how detailed the illustration, it failed to capture the essence of the Lazuli Lands.

Steven gaped. The island they were approaching wasn't just beautiful. It was breathtaking. Captured in the soft moonlight, it looked like something out of a dream. Massive Gem-made towers that sparkled in the moonlight, huge canopies of trees, waterfalls, and immense Gem-made structures that reflected the moon's glow. It was the perfect combination of advanced Gem tech and nature. And that was just what Steven could see from the boat.

Connie leaned over the edge, clutching the railing and staring in awe.

“Whoa,” she said. “Lapis Lazuli lives _here_?”

Steven had expected a small island—the map hadn't made it clear—but this island was the size of a large city. He noticed a symbol—a tear-shaped gemstone—emblazoned on each of the giant towers. He pointed at them.

“What do you think those are for?” he said.

Connie rubbed her chin, examining the towers with the interest of a student. They were enormous cylinders just slightly smaller than the largest skyscrapers.

“Communication hubs?” she said.

As the last word left Connie's mouth, the boat gave a violent jerk. She grabbed the railing to steady herself, her face filling with fear. That hadn't felt like a large wave or something slamming into the ship from below. The latter would have been terrifying, but giant sea creatures weren't uncommon near the Lazuli Lands. But that had felt like something inside the boat had punched their vessel's innards.

“What the heck?” she said.

Her eyes widened in horror. Her gaze darted to Steven.

“Amethyst said Lapis has some kind of interference thing that ruins Gem tech, right?” she said.

Steven grasped the railing, nodding furiously.

“But she said the boat doesn't have enough tech to trigger anything,” he said.

However, another violent lurch from within the boat dissipated that calming belief. Apparently the boat had more than enough tech to trigger whatever Lapis was using.

Amethyst had been down below all day. She suddenly appeared from the hatch, her face alive with panic.

“Shi--,” she started.

She bit off the end of the word as the boat gave another lurch. She was forced to stumble forward and grab onto the railing, her feet almost skidding across the deck.

“We've gotta get out of here,” she said. “Do either of you know where I put the lifeboat?”

But Steven had let go of the railing. He was sprinting for the hatch, almost falling in his haste. Another lurch from the boat nearly sent him sprawling. He kept himself on his feet with extreme effort, lunging forward and taking hold of the hatch like his life depended on it.

“My backpack!” he said.

He thought of all the things he'd stuffed into that backpack. He'd packed so much important stuff for the journey. But most importantly, his backpack contained the only picture of Rose Quartz he had. Steven couldn't bear to imagine the boat sinking, taking with it one of his most prized possessions. Steven couldn't doom his mother's image to an eternity below the waves.

Ignoring Amethyst and Connie shouting his name, he dived into the hatch. Yet another lurch—this one even more violent than the previous ones—almost knocked Steven off the ladder.

He ran over to his bed and grabbed the backpack. He knew his mother's sword was with Connie, so he didn't worry about that too much. Steven opened the backpack and started digging through it, pretending not to notice the threatening quakes all around him. He knew he had a raft somewhere. If only he could get to it, everything would be fine.

Then the boat gave its largest and most violent lurch yet. Steven fell forward, stumbling against the bed. He could feel the boat tilting and shaking around him. His heart almost jumped into his throat at the realization. The navigation system or something other small yet important piece of Gem tech must have exploded. Whatever had happened, the boat was definitely starting to sink.

Steven hit the ladder running, backpack hanging from his shoulder by one strap. He scrambled up to the deck. As soon as his feet were on solid ground, Steven firmly clutched the single strap and looked around frantically.

Amethyst had picked up a protesting Connie in her arms. She was standing on the edge of the railing, preparing to leap off.

“Wait for me!” Steven shouted.

He heard Connie call his name, but Amethyst had already jumped. He heard the latter saying something about how “Steven would be fine” seconds before they disappeared over the side. Lion was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he'd already jumped overboard.

Steven ran towards the railing, but another quake stopped him in his tracks. He watched in horror as the path before him turned to a gaping chasm. The boat was splitting in two, the other side cracking as the side Steven was on descended rapidly. There was no way he had time to reach his raft. Steven cried out in panic as he fell to the ground and began sliding backwards, one hand scrabbling uselessly to slow his descent while the other clutched the strap of his backpack.

He cried out his friends' names as he pitched backwards off his side of the boat. Steven closed his eyes, ready to feel the water engulfing him. He knew how to swim, but he was freaking out. Steven wasn't sure he could get his arms and legs to move properly if he had to.

A half-second before Steven hit the water, he felt that warm glow of magic from deep within his gemstone. He opened his eyes, bemusement breaking through his panic. He looked up at the sky just in time to see the entire world go a bright shade of pink. Steven blinked, puzzled. Had he somehow passed out? Was he having another one of his weird pink-tinged dreams?

Steven looked around. He could feel himself sinking below the waves, but he wasn't drowning. He squinted into the pink, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on. The moon rapidly vanished from sight as he sank. Steven looked around and realized he was encased in a translucent pink bubble.

Since when can I do that? Steven wondered.

He gave the bubble an experimental prod. It felt unexpectedly tough in texture. There was no water leaking through. In fact, Steven was almost completely dry. He felt behind him, groping at his backpack. It was mostly dry as well, therefore the picture was okay. He probably couldn't say the same for the rest of their stuff.

Steven pushed upward, trying to force the bubble toward the surface. His heart sank when it didn't budge. How was he supposed to get back?

_Swim_ , he answered himself.

He took a deep breath. He was terrified. There was no use in denying that. Steven was more scared than he'd ever been in his entire life. He was all alone, trapped in a circular prison underneath the ocean. He had no idea how far down he was. But as there wasn't much else for him to do, Steven knew he had to take the risk.

But first Steven pulled the picture out of his backpack. He held it in his hand, focusing on his mother's face. He focused on how he didn't want her memory to be washed away. As Steven did so, he could feel magic flowing through his veins. He felt it vibrate through his fingers, a smaller pink bubble slowly encasing the photo. He held the bubble to his chest.

He focused on the gemstone, focused on a point deep inside him. He reached inside of his mind, feeling for whatever had activated his magic. Steven could feel his bravery surging the more he prodded at his thoughts and emotions.

Then the bubble popped. It happened abruptly, but Steven was ready. He remembered that he was a strong swimmer. He could hear the voice of his father in his head, telling him exactly what to do and how to do it. Steven swam towards the surface, feeling a certain power in his arms and legs that he'd never felt before. It was an almost euphoric feeling.

He could hardly believe it when his head broke the surface. He sucked in a huge breath, dazzled by the feeling of air on his face. It was like emerging from another world. The ocean had been dark and lonely, but above the surface there were a hundred possibilities. The light of the moon in the sky reminded Steven what planet he was on and what he was doing.

Amethyst, Connie, and Lion were standing several feet away. Specifically, Lion was somehow standing on the water, Connie and Amethyst sitting on his back. The former was struggling and shouting, but the latter had a firm grip on her.

“Let me go!” Connie shouted. “What are you doing? We have to go get Steven.”

But Amethyst had her arms wrapped around Connie. Despite the distinct difference in size, Amethyst clearly had a strength advantage.

“Steven will be fine,” she said. “He has Rose's powers, remember?”

Steven raised his hand and waved cheerfully. He called to them, his voice cutting off whatever loud reply Connie had. The three of them immediately turned towards his voice, although Lion looked uninterested.

“Hi guys,” said Steven.

Connie put her hands to her face. From where he was, Steven couldn't tell if she was crying in joy or not. She had ceased trying to escape Amethyst's grip. When she spoke, her voice was thick with pure happiness. Steven had never before heard someone so relieved to find him safe.

“Thank the stars,” Connie said.

Amethyst gave Steven a thumbs-up.

“Knew you could do it,” she said.

Steven started swimming towards them. He desperately wanted to be on dry land. He was sure almost everything in his backpack was soaked. That was fine. There was only one important thing in there and he'd saved it. The rest of their supplies were doomed though. Steven tried not to look at what little remained of their ship.

As he reached Lion and started to climb onto his back, he heard a noise. It was low and mechanical, like it came from some nearby piece of tech. Steven paused, but he didn't immediately see anything. They were basically in the middle of the ocean. There was an island nearby, but it wasn't as close as he'd previously thought.

“What was that?” he said.

His question was answered by the sudden appearance of a harsh light from above. It captured them and the surrounding area in its blinding glow. It was like they'd been caught in a giant spotlight. The light seemed to originate from several feet over them.

Steven closed his eyes, the light pushing at the darkness behind his eyelids. He clung to Lion with one hand, the other clutching the bubble that held the picture of his mother.

“State your business!”

It wasn't the most intimidating voice, but the amount of authority it held was enough.

“You are trespassing,” continued the voice. “You have exactly three minutes to explain your purpose. If your explanation is not sufficient, you will be captured by my robonoids and taken in for questioning.”

Steven opened his eyes a crack and looked up. He could see the outline of several round things hovering above them. In their midst there was a tall figure. The figure appeared to be standing on some kind of triangle-shaped platform that was floating of its own accord.

Amethyst shielded her eyes with her hand.

“Peri?” she said.

The figure shifted, bending over to presumably get a better look. Steven saw a head the exact same shape as the floating platform. He still couldn't make out any features. But the figure's voice went through a drastic shift. When they spoke again, they sounded less harsh and more incredulous.

“Amethyst?” they said.

Fortunately, the spotlight dimmed to a more reasonable light. Steven could now see who was standing on the platform: a green Gem with triangle-shaped hair. She was surrounded by a series of small round robots who also seemed to be hovering of their own volition. Steven presumed those to be the mentioned “robonoids”.

“I thought you were coming by boat,” said the Gem.

Amethyst laughed.

“Yeah, that was the plan,” she said. “We had a little hiccup.”

The light briefly shifted from them to focus on the wreckage. It seemed the “spotlight” was coming from one of the larger robonoids near the green Gem's head.

“Do you, uh, require assistance?” said the Gem.

Amethyst sighed.

“Yeah, kinda, Peri,” she said. “Kinda.”

At the green Gem's command, several of the robonoids began lowering themselves toward the shipwrecked group.

 

* * *

 

 

The green Gem—Amethyst revealed her name to be “Peridot”--took them to a kind of shelter near the island's shore. From the outside it looked like a smooth cabin-sized oval half-buried in the sand. There was no visible entrance, but the wall slid open when Peridot approached. She stood to the side and let the others enter ahead of her.

The room was completely alien to Steven in terms of design. The walls were filled with screens and unidentifiable bits of Gem technology. There were shiny green and gray platforms jutting out from the walls at regular intervals and spheres floating over pedestals. Steven could barely decide which aspect of the room deserved the most attention.

Peridot stepped inside, causing the opening to shut behind her.

“Lapis will not be pleased,” she said.

She held out an arm. Three of her “fingers” detached to form a screen. The fourth acted as a pointer. Peridot started moving shapes around on the holographic screen, a troubled frown on her face.

“We'll try to retrieve what's left of your ship,” she said. “I'm afraid it probably won't be salvageable. I'll send a message to the Quartz Kingdom on your behalf....”

Amethyst stepped forward.

“We're not leaving until we talk to Lapis,” she said.

Steven looked at her in amazement. How did she manage to summon so much authority when she needed to? It was such a bizarre personality shift for Amethyst. Steven wished he could at the very least pretend to be in charge. But he was forced to stand there, feeling more like a little boy than a future ruler. He got the feeling Peridot had scarcely noticed him.

Peridot threw her head back and laughed.

“Like she's going to talk to you,” she said. “You clods are lucky she didn't personally tear your ship in half.”

Amethyst folded her arms and sighed in frustration.

“C'mon, that's bullshit,” she said. “How long can one Gem hold a grudge?”

Peridot shrugged.

“By my count?” she said. “Approximately one thousand years.”

She looked at Steven for the first time. The intensity of her stare made him blush. Steven suddenly felt unfairly scrutinized, like he was a bug under a lens instead of a half-human half-Gem hybrid. Peridot pointed one of her digits at him.

“What is _that_?” she said.

Her scanner had indicated four life forms, but she couldn't get a read on the fourth. He looked human, but Peridot's scanner was showing her a series of readings that indicated something more cryptic. Something she'd never seen before.

“Um, I'm Steven,” he said nervously.

Peridot started moving shapes around on her screen again. Some writing—an ancient form of Gem language rarely used outside of the islands—flitted by on the screen.

“Odd,” she said. “Is this Steven a new species of alien life form? If so, I would much appreciate it if you'd allow me to catalog your...”

She stopped. A very clear image had appeared on her screen, an image overlapped by a series of confusing charts and graphs. Peridot stared in bemused silence. Her equipment didn't usually mess up like this. But if she took what it was telling her as true, Peridot didn't entirely know how to react.

“Rose Quartz?” she said.

She studied Steven as if trying to see someone else occupying the same space. Her eyes flicked from her screen to him, comparing the dark outline of the familiar Gem to the strange creature before her. There was no way a normal organic creature could be giving off those energy signals. But Peridot suddenly doubted that this “Steven” was a normal organic creature.

“Yeah, I guess,” said Steven.

He lifted up his wet shirt to reveal his gemstone. He felt like he'd had to do this too many times since he'd first stepped into Rose's world. Steven wondered if he was doomed to be primarily defined by the gemstone in his belly. It had always been a part of him, but Steven never wanted it to attract all the focus. He wanted to be known as Steven Universe.

Peridot took a shocked step backwards. Two of her digits buried themselves in her hair, while another two pulled anxiously at the side of her mouth.

“Oh stars,” she said. “Lapis will have to hear about this.”

She dashed to the other side of the room and grabbed one of the spheres. At her touch, it sprouted two sets of legs, revealing itself to be another robonoid. Peridot ran one of her digits across the top of it. At this gesture, a small screen appeared above the robonoid's head.

“Lapis, you have to get down here right now,” she said. “It's...”

She glanced at Steven.

“It's _Rose Quartz_ ,” she said.

Peridot put four of her digits together, forming a triangle.

“Peridot out,” she said.

The robonoid jumped off the pedestal and skittered over to the nearest wall. An opening appeared and the robonoid leaped through, rapidly leaving the building and disappearing into the night.

Connie touched Steven's shoulder. She could feel him trembling. Connie couldn't tell if it was from fear or the cold. His clothes were still wet from his impromptu swim. To worsen matters, any other clothes he'd bought were probably ruined. Connie was afraid he might catch a cold.

“Do you have any clothes Steven can change into?” she said.

Peridot waved her digits dismissively.

“I'm sure I can find something,” she said.

She reactivated her screen. Peridot moved one of her digits in a circle-square pattern across it.

Steven jumped as a nearby panel of the wall slid open. It seemed the room was filled with hidden compartments. He peered into the one that had opened, a puzzled look on his face. To Steven's surprise, the panel had opened to reveal a sort of closet area. He saw an array of clothing in a variety of different sizes.

“Um, thank you,” he said.

He began going through the clothes in search of something that fit. There really was a variety, from ball gowns to jogging outfits. Steven was unnerved by how they all smelled the same. A sort of vague too-sweet chemical-y aroma tickled his nose.

Amethyst had started touching some of the pieces of Gem tech. She was running her hands over panels and prodding at screens.

“Nice set-up,” she said. “It's so _you_ , Peri.”

A distressed Peridot followed closely behind Amethyst, anxiously checking everything the other Gem touched.

“Don't touch that!” she said saying, albeit to no avail.

While Lion curled up on the floor, Connie came up beside Steven. She pulled a tuxedo from the closet area and examined it. None of those clothes looked like something a Gem would wear. Gems didn't normally partake in human fashion unless they had to. Connie couldn't see Lapis or Peridot casually donning human attire.

“Where did all these clothes come from?” she said.

Peridot stopped hovering around Amethyst like a nervous bird. She paused to reset a piece of Gem tech Amethyst had accidentally turned off, then turned to Connie and Steven.

“Shipwrecks,” she said. “There happens to have been a lot near this area during the past two thousand years or so. Me and my robonoids have scavenged all we can without venturing too far from the islands. I'm hoping for some bigger expeditions, but I need permission from Lapis first.”

She pulled up her screen again.

“A few Gem ships crashed around this area long before it was inhabited,” she said. “That's where most of our technology came from.”

Connie put the tuxedo back and shuddered. She didn't like to think who it had belonged to before finding its way to the island.

“This place sounds cursed,” she said.

Amethyst laughed grimly.

“Trust me, it is,” she said.

She casually brushed her hand across a panel, causing the screen above it to go a threatening shade of red. Peridot shouted in frustration and rushed to stop her from doing anymore damage.

Another small portion of the wall slid open. A robonoid—presumably the one from before—entered the building. It scampered over to Peridot, its legs moving rapidly against the smooth floor. It butted its circular body against Peridot's leg to get her attention.

Peridot picked up the robonoid, its small legs retreating into its body as she did so. What seemed to be a written message appeared on the screen. Peridot read through it quickly, two of her digits nervously pulling at opposite sides of her mouth. She seemed more freaked out than the situation warranted. Whatever the message said, it appeared to freak her out even more.

“She wants to see you,” said Peridot.

She dropped the robonoid and turned to Steven.

“Right now,” she said.

Steven had finally found an outfit that looked like it would more or less fit. He held it in front of him, his face pale as he processed Peridot's words. Right now? As in, that very moment in time? He wasn't ready. He could never be ready.

“Now?” he said.

Steven hadn't yet taken his clothes off, but he suddenly felt naked. He wanted to wrap himself up in a blanket and melt into the floor.

Lapis wanted to see him. No, not _him_. She wanted to see Rose Quartz.


	9. Lapis Lazuli

Steven tugged at the collar of his shirt. He'd buttoned it up all the way and tightened it around the stomach with spare bit of cloth, but it still felt way too big. Looking down at his sleeves, he felt like his arms had slightly retracted into his body. The pants fit better, but only by a slight margin.

As if Steven needed another reason to feel like a child playing dress-up. At the very least, he no longer had to worry about his wet clothes. Peridot had taken them to be dried. Or at least he hoped that was what she had done. Steven really should have gotten the details, but he was kind of preoccupied.

Lapis was regarding Steven like he was an insect on her shoe. That's about how Steven felt in his ill-fitting clothes as he gazed up at Lapis's stern face. She looked so calm and in charge, sitting on a floating sphere of water above what was basically an indoor pool. Her face was lit up by the eerie glow of the water, making her look very unearthly. Why did she get to look so badass while Steven looked like the kid he actually was?

The pool stretched almost from one side of the enormous room to the other, leaving only about four feet of space for those who couldn't walk on water or fly. The only other light came from the various water fixtures lining the walls. Lapis seemed to have a thing for aquariums.

“You came to see me,” said Lapis.

Rather than grateful, she sounded mildly angry.

Steven had no reply to that. He pulled at his collar, scowling at its looseness. There had to be something in that closet that fit better. But it was too late. Steven had already made his first impression.

“You came to see me,” said Lapis.

There was suddenly nothing mild about her anger. She sounded furious, like she was the victim of a cruel joke. A pair of wings sprang up from her back as Lapis stood up on her sphere of water. She looked at Steven like she wanted to bring her foot down and ground him into pulp. Her laughter was bitter.

“I should have known,” she said. “Its been years and you still haven't learned anything.”

She flapped her wings like an agitated bird, gesturing at Steven.

“What were you even thinking?” she said. “Did you think I was going to just forget? Did you think taking a new form would make everything better?”

She lowered the sphere slightly, coming closer to Steven. The intensity of the anger on her face nearly made him recoil. It wasn't just unfiltered rage. It was a miserable, agonized sort of anger borne from a long period of suffering.

“Why would you come here?” she said. “What gives you the right?”

Steven could feel her anger building, as if it was pulsing through the air. He realized that he needed to deescalate the situation before things became irreversibly bad.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “Whatever my mom did to you, I'm sorry. But I didn't come here just to remind you of it. I came here because you're the only Gem who can help me. I need to find someone and I think you know where she is.”

Lapis sat back down. She stared at him in candid suspicion.

“Wait, you're not Rose Quartz?” she said.

Steven didn't like being regarded as if he was a criminal, but he nodded. Anything was better than Lapis's agonized fury.

“I'm her son,” he said. “It's kind of complicated, but she got together with my dad and gave birth to me.”

Lapis studied him, carefully going over his words. She was trying to fit it all together in her head, matching it to what little she knew about humans. She sort of understood what he was saying, although it sounded like nonsense. But if he had simply come up with an absurd lie, he must have been a dedicated actor. Even from where she sat, Lapis could see sincerity in Steven's eyes. Whatever or whoever he was, he wasn't like the other Gems.

“You're a human,” she said.

Steven smiled.

“Half-human,” he said.

Lapis dipped her makeshift seat down further, coming even closer to Steven.

“So you're like a hybrid?” she said. “I didn't know that was even possible.”

Against her better judgment, Lapis was fascinated. She'd never even heard of a Gem-human hybrid. Or a Gem-anything hybrid for that matter. Steven looked totally human to her. But when she looked closer, she could clearly see his gemstone poking out of his ill-fitting shirt. Lapis pointed at it.

“So Rose Quartz is in there?” she said.

Steven carefully moved his shirt to fully expose his gem. Even in the meager light, it seemed to shine brilliantly.

“Something like that,” he said.

Lapis considered this. Rose Quartz, trapped inside her own gemstone and imprisoned within the body of a young boy. Fitting. But why would Rose intentionally do that to herself?

“What do you want from me?” she said.

Relieved they were getting somewhere, Steven rushed to explain.

“You know where Jasper is,” he said.

As quickly as Lapis had opened herself up to Steven, she abruptly closed herself. She retreated from him, her entire face turning grim. Of course that was why he'd come. Lapis should have known from the moment she listened to Peridot's message. In her experience, nothing pleasant ever came of dealing with Rose Quartz or any of her associates.

“No,” she said. “You're not dragging me into this.”

She clutched at the sides of her head and shut her eyes, her voice rising.

“Why do you keep doing this?” she said. “Why do you keep trying to get me involved? Do you just like to see me suffer?”

Her eyes flew open. They were filled with fury and regret.

“No,” she said. “You can't do this to me again. You don't get to drag me down for your own amusement. I promised myself I'd never do this again and I meant it.”

Steven could see that he was losing her. He scrambled for the last bits of blossoming trust he could find. He could feel his stomach clenching in worry. Steven couldn't accept that they might have come all this way for nothing.

“I'm not trying to drag you down,” he said. “Jasper is dangerous and...”

It was the wrong line to take. He saw it within seconds, but by then it was too late. Lapis's expression had already changed and Steven realized he'd lost her. The words died on his lips.

“Do you think I don't know that?” Lapis said. “Everyone else might have forgotten, but _I_ haven't.  I can never forget. But you're here taunting me, playing with my emotions. Do you think it's funny?”

She spread her wings and rose from her seat. The sphere of water evaporated as Lapis left it. She hovered in the air, her face filled with fury. The water in the pool churned angrily. Steven scrambled back as it lurched at the shore, narrowly missing his bare feet.

“Leave me,” she said.

Steven hastily backed towards the entrance. He fell against the bare wall, staring at Lapis's angry face. To his relief, he felt a portion of the wall slide open as he leaned his weight against it. Steven stumbled backwards into the hallway. The last thing he saw before the entrance slid shut was the expression of pure animosity on Lapis Lazuli's face.

He nearly fell into Peridot. She was standing directly on the other side. She let out a startled “eep” when he came stumbling out. Peridot hadn't moved from beside the hidden panel she'd used to open the door for Steven.

“How did it go?” she said.

Steven leaned against the wall. He was nearly soaked in his own perspiration.

“Is she always so intense?” he said.

Peridot started leading Steven back down the hallway.

“No,” she said. “Usually she's worse.”

Steven lagged behind Peridot. He couldn't believe how badly that had gone. Upon entering that room, Steven had really believed he could get through to Lapis. She was just another Gem, like Amethyst or Pearl. But considering how he'd totally failed to make Pearl like him, Steven realized he shouldn't have trusted his track record.

“Have you two been friends long?” he said.

Peridot didn't look at Steven as she continued down the long hallway. They passed what Steven assumed to be several doors. There were no handles, but they were each marked with a tear-shaped gemstone.

“Friends?” said Peridot. “I do not believe that word is applicable here. Our relationship is strictly professional.”

They reached the door at the end of the hallway. They passed through it and into the outside world.

Steven looked up at the night sky. How could it still be nighttime? He felt like hours had passed. But thousands of stars continued to shine overhead. Despite his confrontation with Lapis, Steven could appreciate the beauty above him. The island truly was a paradise.

The building they'd just left was part of a series of interconnected domes spanning a great deal of the island. Each dome was stamped with the familiar tear-shaped gemstone. The structure wasn't visible from the boat or the shore.

“How did you two meet?” said Steven.

Peridot hesitated at the question, as if she hadn't expected it. When she spoke again, she was trying to sound nonchalant. But Steven could hear something that sounded suspiciously like affection at the back of Peridot's words.

“I was trying to leave the planet,” she said. “My ship was in bad shape and it didn't look like I was going anywhere. Lapis found me.”

Steven looked around. The place was eerily quiet.

“Is it just you and Lapis here?” he said.

Peridot had led Steven to what she called “the guest tower”. Up close, it resembled a lighthouse. Where a door would have been, there was instead a series of small holes arranged in a circular pattern. Peridot pressed her digits into these holes and turned them all in unison. The door immediately slid open.

“On this island?” she said. “Yes. But a lot of things have washed up on our shores over the centuries, including humans. Each island has its own little community.”

Steven smiled. It all sounded so isolated, but also intimate and fun. However, a thought came to him. Something he wasn't sure he should say out loud. After all, didn't it usually sour the conversation? But Steven felt he had to ask, if not then than at some point in the future.

“Did, um, Jasper ever stay here....?” Steven said.

He immediately wanted to take it back. He saw how Peridot's expression changed the second Jasper's name left his mouth. He held up both hands, his cheeks reddening.

“You don't have to answer,” he said.

But Peridot shook her head. They'd started up a flight of stairs. She was ahead of Steven, her voice bouncing off the walls.

“Yes,” said Peridot.

The simplicity of the answer blocked that train of conversation. Steven followed her in silence, confused and guilty. He'd never so much as seen a picture of Jasper, but he felt like he'd learned a lot—yet at the same time very little—about her. Just who was Jasper and why did everyone seem to shut down whenever she was mentioned?

They reached the top of the stairs. Peridot pressed her digits against the wall, opening another door. Her and Steven stepped into a circular room. It was clearly intended to resemble a bedroom, but the effect was spoiled by the collection of medical equipment stuffed into a corner.

Connie was examining some kind of augmented defibrillator. She put it down as Steven and Peridot came into the room. She gave the latter a bemused look.

“What is all this stuff for?” she asked.

Peridot appeared surprised by the question. She gestured at the medical equipment.

“Humans are notoriously fragile life forms,” she said. “It's a precaution.”

Connie picked up an IV bag. This stuff couldn't have washed up on the island. Sure, it wasn't impossible, but it all looked way too new and functional. That meant trips to the mainland weren't entirely out of the question or uncommon. Connie wondered if Lapis signed off on stuff like that or if Peridot was exercising her free will.

There were three sleeping bags in one corner of the room. Amethyst had snagged the middle one and dozed off. How she could sleep after everything that had happened was beyond both Steven and Connie. But then again, she'd been unusually quiet. It was like she was purposefully keeping herself away from Steven's business.

“How long will you be staying?” said Peridot.

Connie looked at Steven, clearly ready to back up any answer he gave. That gave Steven confidence. He felt like the next words out of his mouth were going to be amazing. He'd noticed that Connie sort of just had that effect. She was so grounded that she made Steven feel capable.

“We need a ship,” he said.

He blushed. Steven was trying to sound badass and in charge, but that had come off as somewhat rude and demanding. Rose Quartz probably would have pulled that off a lot easier.

“Please,” he added.

Peridot activated her screen again. Steven couldn't understand what she was doing. Something complicated to do with dragging around shapes. She was frowning, clearly not very confident about what she was seeing. It might not have had anything to do with Steven's request.

“I'll see what I can do,” she said.

She left before Steven could come to his senses and start asking about warp pads. There most likely wasn't one on the island anyway. There definitely wasn't one that would take them directly back to the Quartz Kingdom. Not that Steven really wanted to go back there so soon. That was the biggest problem with this part of his quest: he literally had no idea where to go.

“Why won't anyone tell me anything?”

He didn't mean to say it out loud. The words just slipped from between his lips. Not whispered or spoken plainly, but said in the most defeated tone of voice Steven had ever heard from himself.

Connie rushed over to Steven and touched his shoulder. She smiled.

“If it helps, I know about as much as you do,” she said. “I guess it's a human thing.”

Steven squeezed his shirt, feeling the gemstone in his belly. He thought of all the facts he could have, if only the Gems would be honest with him. It had never been like this with his dad. Sure, his father had sometimes danced around the truth for the sake of Steven's innocence, but he'd never concealed important information from him. Whatever version of kindness Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst were operating on, they were getting it all wrong.

“Yeah, a human thing,” he said.

His grip on his shirt relaxed and he smiled bitterly. Sometimes Steven didn't want to be half-human. The human side of him seemed to be causing more problems than the Gem side.


	10. Cracked and Broken

Breakfast was delivered by two robonoids.

Steven yawned as he took the tray from them. Food-wise, his expectations were pretty low. The Gems in the Quartz Kingdom might have had some general idea of what humans could eat, but the image of Peridot cooking just wouldn't come to him. He was surprised to find a collection of exotic fruits and some—presumably freshly caught and cooked—fishes. It was the best example of a stereotypical island breakfast Steven had ever seen.

Despite its beautiful presentation, he could only muster a few nervous bites of the fruit. He didn't know if Gems understood the difference between poisonous and edible.

Connie sat up in her sleeping bag and rubbed her eyes. The fact that she'd slept in her clothes hit her first. She wanted to change into something, but of course there was nothing to change into. She was just glad her tunic wasn't ruined. Everyone needed to know that Connie was a knight of the Quartz Kingdom.

“Morning, Steven,” she said.

His mouth full of fishes, Steven nodded to acknowledge her greeting. Maybe it was the sunlight streaming through the huge window, but he was feeling more chipper. They were no closer to finding Jasper, but he had more faith in himself. Maybe it was Connie's words the previous night. It felt good to know that he wasn't the only one in the dark.

“Where's Amethyst?” said Connie.

She saw Lion—curled up asleep—but Amethyst seemed gone.

Steven too had noticed Amethyst's absence, but he'd unintentionally shoved it to the back of his mind.

“Maybe she's talking to Lapis?” he said.

He didn't believe that in the slightest. Amethyst had probably gone behind their back to do something secret. Steven didn't like thinking of Garnet, Pearl, or Amethyst that way, but what was the alternative? He could only see them as they'd presented themselves. And Steven knew how eager they were to leave him out of things.

_If I was my mom..._ , he thought.

Steven lowered his head. If he was his mom, everything would be fine. No one would be hiding things from him, Jasper would probably be caught, and the Quartz Kingdom would have its perfect leader.

He pulled his ring out of his pocket. He'd taken it off when he changed his outfit the previous day and shoved it into his pocket. Despite Steven's brief stay in the ocean, the ring seemed no worse for wear. Steven activated it, not caring that Connie was in the room. He told himself he simply wanted to make sure it still worked.

Connie came and sat next to him. She didn't say anything, simply staring at the holographic screen that had sprung from the ring.

It could have been Steven's imagination, but Pearl's face seemed to take longer to appear. He watched—hardly breathing—as the static rearranged itself into her familiar features. Steven knew he should be talking to her face-to-face. This felt so impersonal and vaguely cruel.

“Steven?”

Pearl spoke like she had been expecting someone else. Amethyst? Garnet? Steven didn't ask because he knew he wouldn't get an answer.

“Hi,” he said.

Connie waved and gave a nervous smile, feeling intrusive. She wanted to scoot away, maybe leave the room entirely. But she stayed by Steven's side. She wanted answers as much as he did, but she didn't want to be the one to grill Pearl.

“Did something happen to the ship?” said Pearl. “I tried to locate it, but... Is everything alright?”

Steven sighed.

“The ship is gone,” he said. “It kind of exploded.”

Pearl grabbed her hair with both hands, a look of astonishment and terror taking over her face. She would have looked like an amusing caricature of emotion if her concern hadn't been all too real.

“Oh my goodness, are you okay?” she said. “You're not stranded, are you? Hold on, Steven. I'll send a team of Rubies to... No, I'll come myself. I'll come and get you. Where are you? Give me your exact coordinates.”

Steven couldn't help laughing.

“No, we're fine,” he said. “We made it to the Lazuli Lands. Peridot is getting us a ship.”

Pearl let go of her hair and sighed in relief.

“Don't scare me like that,” she said.

But what was she more scared of losing? Steven Universe or the last lingering remnant of Rose Quartz attached to him? Steven shook away that dark thought.

Steven remembered why Pearl had given him the ring. He was supposed to be contacting her—or better yet Garnet—for information and guidance. Well, he needed both. But for the time being, he opted for the former.

“Lapis won't tell us anything,” he said. “Do you know why?”

Pearl closed her eyes and placed a hand against her forehead.

“Oh dear,” she said. “I was afraid of this.”

She opened her eyes and fixed Steven with a concerned look.

“Steven, this isn't your fault,” she said. “Lapis has always been difficult. Ever since...well...ever since that incident.”

Steven was so blown away by Pearl— _Pearl_ of all Gems—saying that something wasn't his fault that he nearly missed her next words.

Pearl folded her arms, obviously frustrated.

“She just refuses to let go of the past,” she said. “No matter how many times we try to make amends, it's the same thing. She's _impossible_ , Steven.”

She threw up her hands. She continued talking, but Steven and Connie didn't think she was talking to them anymore. Pearl had abruptly gone into rant mode, forgetting the two of them were even there. She must have been holding onto those thoughts for a long time, maybe even centuries.

“It wasn't even our fault!” Pearl said. “Of course she has blame us for everything. But we tried to help her. We healed her Gem, we offered her safety. Yet she turned her back on us as if we were somehow responsible for her pain.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes, her voice low and regretful.

“We did everything we could for her,” said Pearl. “Rose did everything she could for her, but she still hates us. What kind of Gems are we if we fall apart so easily?”

Steven reached out to touch Pearl's face, but he suddenly pulled his hand back. It was just an image on a screen. But he wanted it to be more. Something physical, something he could comfort with his touch. Steven could tell Pearl really needed it. If not from him, from someone else.

“It's not your fault,” he said. “If Lapis is still holding a grudge, that's her problem. I know you feel like it's your duty to make amends, but it's really not. Lapis has to be ready to forgive you. It's all on her now.”

Pearl smiled sadly.

“Oh Steven,” she said. “You sound so much like Rose.”

Was that a bad thing or a good thing? The way Pearl said it—with misery in her eyes but a subtle warmth in her voice—Steven couldn't tell. He'd thought that once he found out more about Rose Quartz's world, he'd want to live up to her. But Steven wasn't sure what he actually wanted anymore. The ocean had washed it away.

“Goodbye,” said Steven.

He deactivated his ring and handed it to Connie. Steven stood up, the food before him forgotten.

Connie stood up as well, rapidly reading the look on his face.

“You're going to talk to Lapis, aren't you?” she said.

He nodded. Steven had lied just a little bit. It wasn't all on Lapis. It was all on him. Only he could get the information from her, only he could get to the bottom of everything. It was all up to Steven. He believed in himself.

Connie took a moment to go through everything she could say. She could have told Steven it was too soon after his first conversation with Lapis. She could have mentioned the early hour, how they should discuss it with Amethyst. But she settled on the very last thing that came to her.

“I'm coming with you,” she said.

Steven was relieved. It wasn't all on him after all. Someone had his back.

 

* * *

 

Lapis regarded her visitors as if they were of no more consequence than a gentle breeze. She was sitting cross-legged upon the water as if it were solid. Her wings flapped idly like those of a caged bird longing to find the sky.

“I could drown both of you,” she said.

Connie stepped in front of Steven. She had no sword, but she did have her courage. Steven had pointed out that weapons probably weren't the best idea. She believed him, but she wasn't one to take threats lightly.

Steven laughed nervously, grabbing Connie's shoulder and pulling her aside. That wasn't how he'd wanted their conversation to start.

“But you're not going to because you're not a bad Gem,” he said.

Lapis eyed him like he was a stain on her favorite shirt.

“You don't know anything about me, do you?” she said. “You don't know anything about Gems, do you?”

She clutched her knees and shut her eyes, as if she was being forced to relive some horrible memory. Her hands were shaking.

“They're all bad,” she said. “Every last one of them. That's the truth, Steven. I was hoping you could see that. You shouldn't trust them.”

She looked at Steven. There was genuine pity in her eyes. Steven was again caught off guard by the sight of some legitimate emotion, a glimpse of some concern for his well-being from someone who previously hadn't seemed to care.

“They lied to you, didn't they?” she said. “Of course they did. That's what they do. They lie and make excuses.”

Steven wanted to tell her that was wrong, but his face told another story. Maybe they hadn't lied to him directly, but they'd misled him and tried to keep him in the dark for reasons he didn't understand. In a way, that was worse than lying. Steven would have preferred being given falsehoods over being kept out of the information stream. They seemed so determined to emphasize that he wasn't one of them without ever saying it, even though they'd allowed him to go on this dangerous mission.

“What did they do to you?” said Steven.

Lapis looked outraged.

“You don't remember?” she said. “Is something like that so easy to forget, Rose?”

Steven put his hands to his chest. There it was again. That case of mistaken identity that seemed to come so natural to everyone.

“I'm not my mom,” he said. “I don't have any of her memories and no one will tell me anything. So please...if you want me to understand...”

Lapis stood up and turned away from them. She clenched her fists. For a moment, Steven thought she was going to angrily dismiss them. Or maybe she would stand in silence until they left of their own volition. But neither of those things happened. Instead, Lapis began speaking, her back to them as if she was talking to the water.

“Do you know what it's like to be trapped?” she said. “Alone inside your own mind, living inside a dark place with no means of escape? Of course I was bitter. Of course I wanted the Gems who did that to me to suffer.”

Her fists shook, although Steven couldn't tell if it was from misery or anger. Him and Connie stepped back, wary that she might lash out. The water had begun to churn ever so slightly, as if reacting to the negative emotions in the air.

“They put me in a mirror,” she said. “First they poofed me, then they cracked my gem, then they put me in a mirror. It was like my mind had been shattered into a million pieces and those pieces had been thrown into a cage. Then you...I mean Rose Quartz...found me.”

She took a deep breath. Steven almost didn't want her to go on. He could tell Lapis was in pain.

“All those pretty words,” she said. “But how could I trust her? How could I trust anyone? They were _lies_ , Steven. Everything she said was a lie. I knew it. That's why I had to escape.”

The water was churning worse than before.

“They kept me trapped in that mirror for years,” she said. “They knew I was in there, but they did nothing. Then they...then _she_...had the nerve to pretend that my suffering didn't matter. She tried to use her pretty words on me, but I never fell for it. I saw them for what they were: liars. Liars trying to hurt me even more. Everyone just wants to hurt me.”

Steven dared to step a little closer to the edge. Connie tried to grab his arm, but he pulled it out of her grasp. He was doing something stupid and he was entirely aware of it. But he couldn't stop himself.

“What about Peridot?” he said. “Does she want to hurt you?”

Lapis turned around. Steven expected her face to be a mask of hatred, but she actually looked calm. She was even smiling ever so slightly at the mention of Peridot.

“No,” said Lapis. “She might be the only Gem who understands me.”

Steven took another step forward. This time Connie didn't try to stop him. He spread his arms appealingly, looking into Lapis's sad eyes. How could someone express so much misery with their eyes alone? Steven felt like he was staring into a pair of dark windows.

“Do I look like I want to hurt you?” said Steven.

Lapis gazed into Steven's eyes. Sincerity. Sincerity and an innocence to be envied. But she wouldn't allow herself to be fooled. She'd looked into Rose Quartz's eyes and seen much the same thing. Lapis knew how easy it was to pull a veil over one's true intentions. The fact that Steven would dare try the same trick made her angry.

“No, you look like you have no idea what you're doing,” she said.

Steven laughed, but no one joined in. Connie looked worried and Lapis wasn't smiling.

“I'm giving you one chance,” said Lapis. “Leave this place. Forget about me. Peridot should have a ship for you by sundown.”

The undisguised threat and time limit broke Steven's confidence a little. Even though he'd pretty much dismissed her earlier claim about drowning them, rolling the dice seemed like a dumb move. There were other ways for Lapis to hurt them without so much as flicking a drop of water in their direction. Having them chased off the island by Peridot and her robonoids was just one alternative that came to Steven's mind. He wanted to believe she wouldn't, but he wasn't that innocent.

Nevertheless, he decided to leave her alone. Steven wasn't going to get anywhere by bludgeoning the point.

“For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened to you,” he said.

He left it there. He knew Lapis didn't want to hear anymore.


	11. Whole Again

The robonoids brought lunch, but Steven didn't eat.

It was fishes and fruit again, this time with a slight variance in presentation. Steven had to appreciate the elaborate style with which everything was arranged. It looked fancier than it had any right to be. But still Steven just sat the tray down on the floor and watched the robonoids skitter away.

Connie had gone to find a change of clothes, but that had been hours ago. Was she avoiding the guest tower on purpose? Was Amethyst doing the same, seeing as she too hadn't returned? Steven thought he should be happy they were leaving him to his thoughts, but he wished it wasn't so obvious. Even Lion had left to roam the island.

Maybe all of them left. Maybe they'd decided that he was useless and went to find Jasper on their own. Steven let those thoughts bully him as he sat on his sleeping bag, playing with the ring and wondering if contacting Pearl was a smart move. He was caught between wanting to talk to someone and wanting to be alone.

More than anything, Steven wished he could understand Lapis's struggles. He wished he had a better idea of what she'd went through so he could help her. Or if not help, convince her that he wasn't a liar.

Steven was lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. The domed ceiling above him was transparent, so he got a somewhat distorted look at the sky above. It was like staring at a twisted reflection of the clouds. The sight was surreal in a way that really made him think.

He closed his eyes, starting to drift off to sleep. The warped view of the sky was drawing him into a dream. Steven could feel himself merging with the clouds. They looked so fluffy and soft. He wanted to push his face into them, to wrap himself up in them. Steven reached for them, pulling them closer and burying his face in their softness. He smiled as his cheek sank into them.

“Fluffy,” he said.

His voice didn't sound right, but Steven paid no mind. His head was falling deeper into what seemed to be endless comfort. He was content in ways that could never exist in the waking world. Was the waking world even a thing anymore? Steven had no desire to go back to it. He wanted to spend eternity with his cloud.

“Soft,” he said.

Again his voice didn't sound at all like his own. It belonged to someone else. Steven tried to place it, but the answer kept slipping between his fingers. His head had breached the surface of the cloud. It was just blue all the way down, like the world's laziest canvas painting. He wanted to pull his head out and find another cloud, but he found his body was moving of its own accord. Steven went deeper, descending into the blue.

Everything around him was no longer soft. The comfort was long gone, replaced by a numbing fear. Where was he? Where was anything? Why could he hear churning waves all around him, yet there was nothing above or below?

“Let me out.”

A voice that wasn't his own. A body that felt more and more like that of a stranger. But Steven was still falling, falling away from answers and meaning. He couldn't swim. He couldn't do anything except reach for an end that didn't seem to be coming. It was more of a casual drift than a fall.

“Let me out!”

Steven started thrashing around. He was banging his fists against glass, yet he wasn't. He was scraping his fingernails against a polished surface, yet he wasn't. There were so many contrasting sensations. Steven wasn't sure he even had a body. He might have been just a mind, fractured and wandering. In fact, he was sure that was what he was. He'd been falling for so long—was it years?--that he couldn't be anything else.

He let himself float there. There wasn't much else Steven could do. He was fragments. He saw images sometimes, images that went as quickly as they came. But Steven could never hold onto anything for very long. Centuries—it must have been centuries—of floating and everything was nothing. He was a teardrop.

Abruptly, Steven woke up. He lay there sweating and panting, blinking the blue out of his eyes. He was no longer drifting. He was no longer a teardrop. But it took him a second to realize. Steven could briefly feel himself in two places at once, as two minds at once. But when it all settled, he was quite confident that he was Steven Universe.

Steven sat up on his sleeping bag. Something had woken him up. As he returned fully to the waking world, he realized his hand felt weird. There was an item clutched in his palm, something that had been there before Steven drifted off. He brought his hand to his chest and opened it. The ring lay on his palm, emitting a strange light. It seemed someone wanted to speak with him.

He answered the call. Steven had some questions for Pearl or Garnet. He wasn't sure what those questions were or if they were even answerable, but he knew they were there.

The face that appeared on the screen wasn't Pearl's, nor was it Garnet's. Steven stared in surprise. He hadn't known other Gems could contact him through the ring. Actually, he was sure that wasn't meant to be possible.

“Centipeedle?” he said.

Centipeedle smiled at him, a genuine smile that said she was glad to see him. She looked exactly the same as she had the last time Steven saw her. He realized it hadn't been very long since their first meeting. He still couldn't get over that strange name.

Steven was about to ask how Centipeedle got his number, but he stopped himself. There was no “number” as far as he knew. He really didn't understand a single thing about the Gem tech he'd been given, even though Connie had somewhat explained it when he was first given the ring. For all he knew, every Gem in existence was able to contact him through that ring.

“It's good to see you,” he said.

Centipeedle nodded.

“Did you make it to the Lazuli Lands safely?” she said.

Steven gave her a wry smile.

“Kind of,” he said. “We had a few hiccups.”

He explained about the wrecked ship and his unfortunate confrontations with Lapis. He felt better just talking about his troubles with an essentially impartial party.

“Did you find Jasper?” he said.

Steven secretly hoped that was why Centipeedle had contacted him. It would have made things infinitely easier. He was visibly disappointed when Centipeedle shook her head in response to his question.

“Amethyst was right,” she said. “It was a bad lead.”

She sighed in defeat.

“The second bad lead we've had this week,” she said. “Sometimes I worry...”

She shook her head grimly, unable to even say it out loud. Steven didn't press her about it.

“Why did you want to talk to me?” he said.

He could tell by the look on her face that she had something to tell him. Something big or something small he couldn't predict. Whatever it was, Steven had a feeling he should listen.

“It's about Lapis,” said Centipeedle. “You remember what happened to her, don't you? You do have her memories, right?”

Steven sighed and shook his head. Did he even want Rose's memories? Everything he learned about her seemed to imply that her past wasn't so great. He might have felt closer to her if he had her memories, but perhaps that wouldn't be a good thing in this instance. There were so many poisoned patches of Rose's story that Steven kept finding.

Centipeedle didn't look too surprised. She nodded in understanding.

“That's why you thought you could convince her,” she said. “I'm very sorry. But you have to understand...”

She glanced away for a moment, then turned back to Steven. Steven couldn't tell if the pity on her face was for him or for Lapis.

“I think Lapis wants to forget,” she said. “She wants to forgive. But she just can't. She won't allow herself because she's afraid.”

Steven got up the courage to ask a question he should have asked Pearl. He didn't know if Centipeedle would have the answer. It was a fifty-fifty chance. But Steven had no one else to ask. No one who he felt would give him a straight answer anyway.

“Did my mom really lie to her?” he said.

Centipeedle shrugged.

“I wasn't there,” she said.

She looked at something over her shoulder. Steven couldn't see anything, but he noticed the slightly bemused look on her face when she turned back to him.

“I've got to go,” she said. “Maybe we can talk later.”

Centipeedle visibly hesitated.

“I know all about you,” she said. “Word has gotten out. Be careful, Steven. Be very careful.”

The screen went to static.

Steven looked at the ring for a moment. He'd wanted to ask Centipeedle more about his mother. He thought her perspective might be free of any bias. But would an unbiased view of Rose Quartz be any better? Was there any angle that would give him a favorable and reliable view of Rose Quartz?

He activated his ring again. There was one way to find out.

Steven half-expected Centipeedle's face to appear on the screen, but this time it was Pearl. She looked more collected compared to the last few times he'd seen her. She looked more like the type of Gem Rose Quartz—or at least Steven's idea of her—would trust as her second-in-command. The sight of her made Steven wish she was there. She probably would have been doing a lot better than he was.

“Good afternoon, Steven,” said Pearl. “Are you heading back? I could take a ship and meet you halfway.”

She was actually smiling. What had happened to her since the last time Steven had seen her? Something had put her in a strangely good mood. Steven felt bad for what he was about to say. He predicted the smile dropping from her face before the words even fully left his mouth.

“I know you think it's not important, but you have to tell me,” he said. “You have to tell me about my mom.”

Sure enough, Pearl's cheerfulness dissipated. It was like he'd reached inside of her and turned off the light.

“I told you everything that was relevant,” she said.

Her tone was stiff. But rather than making Steven want to stop asking questions, it made him more determined to get what he needed. He was tired of playing games and dancing around whatever unfortunate truth Pearl felt he shouldn't know.

“Did my mom do something to Lapis?” he said.

Pearl didn't have to answer. She could have ended the call. She could have outright refused. Steven knew this, but he also knew that a part of her wanted to answer. He could see it in her face, however good she was at hiding it. He simply didn't understand what was stopping her from being direct.

“We didn't know,” said Pearl. “You have to understand that, Steven. We didn't know. If we had, we would have done something. Rose took full responsibility, but it was all of us. Lapis just refuses to see it from our point of view.”

She put her head in her hands.

“How were we supposed to know?” she said. “We thought it...we thought she was just some trinket. Just a mirror. If we'd known she was in there, we would have acted much sooner. We aren't monsters, Steven. She says we are, but Rose made sure we never were.”

Pearl hung her head and sighed miserably.

“I don't think she remembers what actually happened to her,” she said. “We tried to question her, but she never talked about who put her in there. We tried to find out who had poofed her in the first place, but she just kept talking about how long she was trapped. Even after Rose healed her Gem, she hated us.”

She spread her arms appealingly.

“But we didn't know she was in there!” said Pearl. “I swear, Steven, we had no idea.”

Steven chose his question very carefully.

“Do you know who put her in there?” he said.

Pearl nervously touched her face.

“We have a pretty good idea,” she said. “A lot of...unfortunate things happened when the Diamond Republic fell.”

Steven didn't dare press her about that. That was a line he wasn't willing to cross unless it was demanded of him. The pain that flashed across Pearl's eyes when she mentioned the Diamond Republic was enough for him.

“If that's all, I really need to get back to work,” said Pearl.

They said goodbye to one another and Steven hung up. It was only after he'd done so that he realized he hadn't asked Pearl what work she had to do. Obviously running a kingdom was no easy job, but he felt it was more than that. Or maybe he was only assuming that because he happened to be on an important quest. Not everything had to be Jasper-related or to do with Steven's adventure.

He finally left his sleeping bag entirely. Steven was tired of being left out. He wanted to find Amethyst and Connie. Maybe Lion as well, although he was probably just napping somewhere. Steven had found that Lion was an excellent listener, although far from a conversationalist.

A few minutes later, Steven stepped out of the guest tower. Evening was quickly approaching. The robonoids would probably be arriving with dinner soon. Steven was hoping everyone could be present for that, even if only three of them actually needed to eat. Or at least he assumed Lion needed food. Lion definitely ate like food was a requirement.

The little building near the shore was Steven's best bet. Connie had said she was going to find something to change into. Maybe her and Peridot were talking or something. Steven realized he had barely seen anyone since that morning. Where in the world was everyone? Was the island just empty now?

But as Steven approached the building, he noticed a figure standing near the water. The sight relieved him. He hadn't really believed he'd been abandoned on the island, but the thought had started to gain prominence. Steven could feel the imagined isolation gnawing at him. But everything got a little less gray and foreboding when Steven realized he wasn't alone at all.

He raised his arm and started to call to the figure, but he stopped. He recognized the Gem standing inches from the water. He hadn't at first, because the last time he'd seen her had been under different circumstances and lighting. But Steven suddenly recognized the dress and the teardrop-shaped gemstone upon her back.

Lapis Lazuli was standing with her arms at her sides. She was staring at the endless ocean before her, the waves gently lapping at her toes. She seemed at home near the water. Her and ocean were kindred spirits.

“Good evening, Steven.”

He'd been quiet, but she must have felt his presence a few feet behind her. Steven stopped in his tracks, a guilty expression on his face. He didn't want to interrupt her meditation. But it was too late. As she turned to him, he grinned sheepishly.

“Hi,” he said. “Sorry for disturbing you. I'll just...”

Lapis fixed him with a look that froze the words in his throat.

“What are you doing here?” she said.

Steven looked around. The area seemed to be empty, save for him and Lapis.

“Looking for my friends,” he said.

Lapis turned back to the water.

“You should have left,” she said.

Steven was taken back to his dream. The endless blue void, the fragments that were him, the teardrop. He looked at Lapis's gemstone and frowned. It hadn't felt like a dream. It had felt like something more real, something more meaningful. It had scared him, but not in a way Steven was familiar with from his many nightmares.

“I get it,” he said.

Lapis laughed in contempt, but gave no other reply. The water had started to pool around her feet.

“I understand what you went through,” said Steven. “You were lost and alone. You couldn't find yourself in the dark. You were floating for so long that you forgot who you were. You knew you were on the other side of the glass, but there was no way for you to break through.”

He took a few steps closer.

“You felt so disconnected from yourself,” he said. “Just thoughts and feelings you couldn't even hold onto. That must have been horrible for you. And then no one could understand what had happened to you. You must have felt like it was a cruel joke and they were all in on it.”

Steven put a hand on Lapis's shoulder.

“But it wasn't a joke,” he said. “They tried to help you.”

Lapis whirled around, slapping Steven's hand off her shoulder. The waves churned behind her, her eyes alive with anger.

“You don't know anything,” she said. “You're just like them. Thinking you can somehow understand my pain. Using your pretty words to pretend you care.”

Something began to rise from the water, slowly taking shape as it ascended. Steven backed away, gaping at the behemoth that was emerging in front of him. For a second, he mistook it for another sea monster. But as its form became more clear as it towered over him, he realized it was a hand. An immense hand and arm made of water was rising from the ocean.

“Lapis, stop!” Steven said.

But the hand started to descend towards him. Steven didn't have time to jump out of the way. He couldn't have gotten far enough to avoid its flailing digits. Steven could only watch, mouth agape as he stood frozen in terror.

He barely noticed the bubble engulfing him. It took him a few seconds to realize that the world had gone that slightly familiar shade of pink. Then the hand hit the bubble dead on, knocking it slightly backwards and causing Steven to cry out. At the impact, a shudder went through the arm. It recoiled somewhat before erupting into water droplets.

Shouting with rage, Lapis raised her arm. A massive sphere of water rose from the ocean. With a flinging motion from Lapis, it flew through the air and hit the bubble. It exploded upon impact, turning to harmless water droplets against the bubble's resilient surface. Another sphere of water met the exact same fate a second later, much to the frustration of Lapis.

An enormous wave came crashing to the shore. Despite being perfectly safe, the sight of it made Steven's heartbeat increase. He watched the water flow over the sand as if it was made of a billion tiny entities. The wave encased the bubble, firmly cradling it. The bubble and Steven were lifted high into the air. Steven could almost feel the water pressing against the bubble as if trying to squeeze him out.

“Lapis, please,” said Steven. “I don't want to fight.”

Fortunately, she could apparently hear him. Her enraged expression didn't change, but she did respond.

“Then you shouldn't have come here,” said Lapis.

Steven screamed as the bubble—and him—were tossed effortlessly. Thrown like a baseball, he sailed through the air. The bubble hit the little building near the shore. It immediately popped upon impact, causing Steven to cry out as he fell to the ground. He was instantly reminded of the fragility of his human body as he hit the sand facedown.

Lapis started towards him, water trailing behind her feet as she approached.

Steven couldn't move. He groaned and rolled onto his side, clutching at his arm. Sand was supposed to be soft, but that had been quite a fall. Steven was winded and he thought his arm might be broken.

He thought he heard someone shout his name. Steven turned his head, his focus shifting from Lapis. He squinted. Steven could swear he saw what looked like a purple blur speeding towards them. Lapis hadn't seen it yet, but it was heading straight for her. _A purple blur?_

“Amethyst,” Steven choked out.

There was no time for rational thought, no time to shout. Steven was on his feet, faster than he'd thought he could manage in his current state. Then he was running faster than he ever had in his life. Steven charged across the sand, putting himself directly between Lapis and the purple blur. He only registered raising a shield he didn't even remember summoning and seeing Lapis turn sharply in his direction.

The force of Amethyst's body against the shield propelled Steven backward. Him and Lapis both cried out as he crashed into her. They tumbled backwards in a heap, Steven's shield dissipating as they fell to the ground. Amethyst hit the shield and bounced off like a ball.

“Sorry!”

That was the first word Steven managed to speak. A second later he was scrambling to his feet, apologizing profusely. He hadn't even been thinking about his shield. That part had just kind of happened. Steven dreaded to think what would have happened if Amethyst had slammed into him at full force.

Amethyst seemed perfectly fine, although she looked absolutely stunned. She pulled herself up on all fours and shook sand out of her hair.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she said.

Steven rubbed a hand across his arm. It didn't feel broken after all. He definitely felt worse for wear, but Steven chose to focus on the fact that he wouldn't be needing a cast. Gemstone or not, he still had bones that could be broken and skin that could be bruised. This fact reinforced an unfortunate truth: Steven hadn't been thinking. He just acted, without giving his brain much time to interfere.

“Sorry,” was the best he could do.

Lapis was sitting up. Of everyone involved, she was the most taken aback by what had happened. She was staring at Steven as if she'd never seen him before.

Amethyst got to her feet.

“Steven, I could have killed you,” she said. “Are you out of your mind?”

Steven started to say “sorry” again, but he realized that wasn't a defense. It would have been more accurate to agree that he was out of his mind. He certainly felt like it now that the moment had passed. Sighing, Steven turned to look at Lapis and held out a hand to her.

“Are you okay?” he said.

Lapis took his hand without thinking. She let him pull her to her feet.

“I'm fine,” she said.

She looked from Amethyst's frown to the legitimate concern on Steven's face.

“Thanks,” said Lapis.

She turned away. Lapis couldn't look Steven in the eye. She felt like she'd violated some pact she'd made with herself. But oddly enough, she didn't feel bad about breaking this promise. On the contrary, Lapis was unexpectedly unmoved. Nevertheless, she didn't have it in her to look at Steven as she spoke.

“You want to know where Jasper is, right?” she said. “You have to believe me when I say I have no idea.”

Amethyst folded her arms and laughed.

“That's bullshit, Lazuli,” she said.

Lapis paid her no attention. She chose to address Steven alone, her back to him but her world closed to any voice other than his.

“Jasper is bad news, Steven,” she said. “There's more to her than you think.”

Gathering herself, she turned to face Steven.

“There's someone who knows where she is,” she said. “Someone in the Agate Empire. I'll give you her name, but that's it. That's all I can do for you.”

She grabbed her shoulders and hung her head.

“If you do find Jasper, don't tell her it was me,” she said. “I don't...I can't see her again. Promise me you'll leave me out of it.”

Steven nodded.

“I won't tell her,” he said.

Lapis actually smiled at him. Steven smiled back, his heart lifting at the unexpected sight. But as quickly as the smile came, it was gone and Lapis was back to looking grim. She turned and hurried away, back towards a building far from the shore. She glanced at Steven before she began hurrying away. By the look she gave him, Steven could tell she wanted to talk to him in private.

Steven hurried after Lapis. He felt like he was getting somewhere. He felt like he was closer to his goal. Steven felt like he was beginning to understand what it meant to lead the Quartz Kingdom.


	12. Peridot

Peridot and her robonoids dumped a series of bundles at Steven's feet.

“Your things,” she said.

Steven had almost forgotten about her going to retrieve their stuff from the wrecked ship. He'd gotten used to just having his cheeseburger backpack. The other items they'd packed had faded from his mind. Nevertheless, Steven was pleasantly surprised at the amount of stuff Peridot had brought back.

“I'm afraid some of it wasn't salvageable,” said Peridot.

She'd taken the liberty of washing and drying all of the clothes. Steven was happy to see some of his favorite shirts again.

“That's alright,” said Steven. “You did good.”

He smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. Peridot stared at his thumb for a few seconds before reluctantly returning the odd human gesture, a hesitant little smile on her face.

“How's Connie doing?” he said.

Peridot had found a ship for them. Well, sort of. It was more like the wounded shell of what had once been a shining example of Gem technology. It would have to be piloted manually and it was in dire need of repairs, but Peridot was confident she and her robonoids could get it working. Despite having very little hands-on experience, Connie had volunteered to help.

“Her enthusiasm is admirable,” said Peridot. “Of course, there are some unfortunate gaps in her knowledge. But she's learning. The ship should be more or less functional in around an hour.”

Steven looked out the window, staring at the night sky beyond the glass. One hour? It would be past midnight by then. Steven hadn't realized it until the late hour came to his attention, but he was tired. The day had really taken a lot out of him. With his sleeping bag within easy reach, he knew he should be dozing off. But he just couldn't.

Amethyst was the exact opposite in that regard. She was lying on her back, arm over her chest as she snored like a busted engine.

“Was my mom a good Gem?” said Steven.

He didn't know what compelled him to ask Peridot of all Gems. How would she know? But at the same time, he felt like everyone he met knew something about Rose Quartz. It was like Rose had left an impression of herself everywhere. Not just in the Quartz Kingdom, but all over the world. In his attempt at putting together a clear picture of Rose Quartz, Steven was collecting those impressions.

Peridot sat cross-legged on the floor. Steven had thought she'd be eager to return to her work, but she appeared content to stay. Either Peridot thought Connie and her other robonoids could handle it or she actually did want to talk.

“I never met her,” said Peridot. “Lapis has told stories, but I'm sure you realize her bias. I know that Lapis wanted to escape and Rose never tried to interfere.”

She shifted her position a little. Steven couldn't tell if this was because she was uncomfortable with the topic.

“We all heard stories about Rose Quartz,” said Peridot. “How she was the first to leave the Diamond Republic. How she loved humanity more than anything else. How even the Diamonds feared her.”

Steven frowned.

“The first to leave?” he said. “But...”

Peridot interrupted him.

“Of course it was inevitable,” she said. “Some of us weren't satisfied with life in the Diamond Republic. We wanted something new, something more free. But to obtain that, we had to go against everything the Diamond Republic—everything the Diamonds—stood for. And...well, you know what happened to Lapis when she tried to leave.”

Steven tried to imagine it. Gems fighting amongst each other, the republic split between unwavering loyalty and disobedience. He could picture his mother in the thick of it, sword and shield at the ready. A rebel, a leader, a fighter. Did Steven like that version of Rose? The image in his head made her look badass, but he still wasn't sure that was the Rose Quartz he would have wanted in his life.

“So you wanted freedom?” he said.

Peridot sighed and hung her head.

“No, Steven,” she said. “I wanted to get off this stinking planet. With the Diamond Republic gone, where could I go? I had no ship and no allies. It's fortunate that Lapis found me.”

Steven wondered. How had Lapis—a Gem who seemed to detest all other Gems—come to trust Peridot? Sure, they were two lost souls wandering the same rock. But surely that wasn't enough. Steven wanted to pry, but he somehow doubted even Peridot knew the answer.

Peridot stood up.

“I'd better get back to work,” she said.

Her and the robonoids departed the guest tower. Steven listened to her loud footsteps on the stairs. He heard them slowly fade into silence as she got further away.

Amethyst rolled over onto her side. She opened her eyes and stretched her arm, giving a long and somewhat exaggerated yawn. She then rolled onto her back and sat up. She pretended to rub sleep from her eyes.

“Yo Ste-man,” she said. “You still up?”

Steven nodded. He was staring at where Peridot had been sitting. He felt like he could have gotten more information out of her. She seemed to know so much about the Diamond Republic. Peridot could have been Steven's window into Gem history. Too bad he probably wouldn't get the chance to ask anymore questions.

“Where were you today?” said Steven.

He'd been meaning to ask, but stuff had gotten in the way. By the time he finished his talk with Lapis and got back to the guest tower, Amethyst was asleep. He'd bottled up the questions he had for her, focusing on what Peridot told him about the ship and what Lapis had revealed during their meeting.

Amethyst shrugged.

“Around,” she said. “You know me.”

Steven wanted to point out that he _didn't_ know her. They'd only been acquainted for a rather short amount of time. It was hard for Steven to believe he knew any of them.

“Why won't you ever tell me anything?” he said.

It came out whinier than he wanted it to. He sounded way too much like a little kid on the verge of throwing a tantrum.

Amethyst looked guilty.

“It's complicated,” she said. “Don't worry about it, Steven.”

But Steven was worried about it. How could he not be worried? He felt like he was watching a distorted version of events through a lens. He was so far along, yet Steven still didn't understand and no one was willing to make things clear.

“What's complicated?” said Steven. “Why is everyone always leaving me out? You talk about how I'm supposed to be a leader and everything, but you're treating me like I'm some kid.”

He'd raised his voice. He was practically yelling, but he didn't care.

Amethyst pressed a hand to her chest and gave Steven an angry look.

“You think I don't want to tell you?” she said. “If I could, I'd tell you everything.”

Steven stared at her in disbelief.

“Why can't you tell me?” he said. “Do you really think I can't handle it?”

Amethyst folded her arms.

“It's not me,” she said. “It's Garnet.”

Steven froze. _Garnet_. He remembered how she'd looked at him. She'd looked at him like she knew something about him, something that Steven himself didn't. Or maybe she'd simply been planning what to keep from him. But why? What did Garnet know and why wouldn't she just tell him?

“I want to talk to my dad,” he said.

He looked at the ring on his finger, his stomach tightening at the sight of it. He didn't want to talk to Pearl. Steven didn't want to go through her in order to speak to Greg. He just wanted to speak directly to his dad and no one else. But that wasn't how it worked and Steven was painfully aware of that.

Amethyst smiled.

“Me too,” she said. “I bet he has some awesome stories about Rose.”

She sat down, arms behind her head. Amethyst shut her eyes and released a long sigh.

“So who are we looking for?” she said. “Whose this mysterious Gem Jasper confided in?”

Steven frowned. Should he tell her the truth? He wasn't big on lying and he felt it would he cruel to make withholding information a common part of their friendship. He was glad Amethyst hadn't asked him to divulge everything him and Lapis talked about. That was something Steven simply couldn't do.

“Lapis didn't have a name,” he said. “She gave me a bunch of weird numbers.”

He reached into his pocket and retrieved a piece of torn paper. The paper contained a series of numbers and letters Steven didn't understand. The so-called “name” of the Gem who supposedly knew a lot about Jasper.

Amethyst took the paper from him.

“Doesn't ring a bell,” she said. “Then again, it's not like all us Quartzes know each other.”

Amethyst handed the paper back.

“Should be easy to find,” she said.

Steven didn't know how that could be, but he trusted Amethyst. It was a bit ironic when he thought about it. He seemed to drift between not wanting to believe a single word any of the Gems said and trusting them without a single doubt. But at least Steven knew Garnet was the center of all the withheld information. He wondered when—and if—he'd get up the courage to confront her.

In the spirit of keeping things as open as possible, Steven decided to reveal something to Amethyst. He hadn't thought it was important, but now that he considered it from a fresh point of view he knew it was.

“Centipeedle contacted me,” he said. “She said word has gotten out. Other Gems know I exist.”

But how much did these mysterious others know? Did they know he had Rose's gem? Did they know he was half-human? Steven couldn't properly worry about it until he answered those questions.

Amethyst appeared worried for a second, but she hastily reworked her expression into a strained grin.

“Don't sweat it, Ste,” she said. “Garnet knew this was going to happen.”

Steven gave his own strained smile. Yes, it seemed Garnet knew a lot of things. Too bad she didn't want to share any of them with him.

The wall—actually a door—slid open and Connie came marching in. Steven had never seen her dressed so casually. She almost looked like a normal teenager, save for the remnants of past battles all over her arms and legs.

“Done already?” said Amethyst.

Using a cloth to wipe sweat from her brow, Connie nodded.

“Sort of,” she said. “It's not going to be in perfect working condition, but it should get us where we need to go. Peridot is putting the finishing touches on the engine. Her robonoids are doing their best, but this is some really old Gem tech. Era One even.”

Steven looked skeptical.

“Won't it get disrupted by whatever Lapis used to ruin our ship?” he said.

Connie shook her head.

“That only effects ships coming into the island,” she said. “We're going to be leaving, so we'll be fine.”

She wiped the last bit of perspiration from her brow and smiled.

“We should start packing up our stuff,” she said.

They did so, Amethyst dozing off as soon as the task began. Steven and Connie were left to do the packing themselves, although they didn't complain. With how much of their stuff had been recovered, it was going to take a while. A few things would have to be left behind.

Steven smiled as tucked the picture of his mother into his backpack. He was surprised he'd held onto it so long. It seemed like the sort of thing that should have gotten lost or drifted away a long time ago. Or maybe that was just how Steven viewed his mother's memory and therefore anything attached to it.

“I wish we could stay,” said Connie.

She had stopped packing for a moment. She was gazing out the window, a dreamy smile on her face. Steven couldn't blame her. He might live near a beach, but this place felt like a real island getaway. A place to disconnect from your troubles and just relax. After everything was over, Steven might take an actual vacation. Maybe Greg and Connie would come along.

Once they finished packing, Steven took a good look around the room. Was is strange to feel at home in a place that was not in any way his home? But he couldn't help it. Steven felt a connection not just to the island paradise, but also to Lapis.

They started carrying their things out of the guest tower and to the ship. It was a long walk from the tower to practically the other side of the island, but Steven was feeling unusually energetic. He barely faltered as he walked, two bulging rucksacks slung over his shoulders. He didn't know where he found the strength to carry such a heavy load, but Steven was too preoccupied to dwell on such an insignificant mystery.

Steven saw the ship before he saw Peridot. He almost dropped the rucksacks in shock when he glimpsed the diamond-shaped behemoth towering above the trees. It definitely looked alien. No sign of any comparatively primitive human tech. Were they really going to the Agate Empire in _that?_

Coming closer, Steven saw Peridot and her robonoids. The robonoids seemed to be patching up a few minor holes, while Peridot was running some kind of weird screwdriver-blowtorch hybrid over a side panel. Peridot turned to the newcomers and flipped her goggles up.

“We should be ready in about ten minutes,” she said.

Steven's awe steadily turned to worry. Up close, the ship looked like it was in bad shape. Some of the repairs appeared haphazard—or maybe that was genuinely the best Peridot could do with only her robonoids and Connie—and there were some glaring blemishes. Steven didn't want to speculate on the stability of Gem tech with such little knowledge, but he just didn't like the look of their new method of transportation. Maybe having Pearl come with a ship wasn't the worst idea.

The inside was more promising, but not by a particularly immense margin. When the hidden door slid open, Steven was greeted by the expected array of Gem tech he couldn't understand. But none of it looked in especially bad shape. He wondered if the inside had looked even worse than the outside before Peridot and her robonoids got to it.

Connie walked over to the far wall. The wall contained nothing except a series of diamond-shaped outlines. She carefully traced one with her finger. That portion of the wall slid open to reveal a closet-like area. She started packing some of their clothes into it.

Steven stared, strangely awestruck by Connie's mastery of Gem tech. Sure, it seemed simple, but seeing her do it still made him feel like she understood all this stuff better than he ever would. She belonged in that world. Steven had simply been born into it.

Peridot came into the ship, goggles and blowtorch-screwdriver thing gone.

“I've sent some of my robonoids to get the rest of your things,” she said.

She walked over to one of the panels. Peridot started pressing things and watching shapes change on the holographic screen. The ship gave several rumbling grunts in reply to her actions.

“Standard warm-up procedure,” said Peridot.

Steven decided to take her word for it. He still wasn't sold on the safety of this new ship. Would it even fly? And did he want to be on-board when they tried to get it off the ground?

“Um, whose going to be flying this thing?” he said.

If there was a decision to be made, he was eager to elect Connie or Amethyst as captain. That was within his authority, right?

“I am,” said Peridot.

Steven looked at her in surprise.

“But Lapis...,” he began.

But Steven couldn't finish that sentence. Lapis _what?_ Lapis needed Peridot? Lapis would be angry if Peridot left without a word—he highly doubted that was the case—and it might ruin their companionship? Lapis had jumped into his mind without any prompting and Steven was struggling to explain his thinking.

“Lapis will be fine,” said Peridot.

The ship gave another threatening rumble.

“I'm not like her,” said Peridot. “She wants to ignore the truth, but I can't. If she stays here, Jasper is going to find her. I have to find Jasper first.”

Steven smiled, his objections forgotten. He couldn't see the expression on Peridot's face, but he imagined there was some warmth in it.

“You really care about her, don't you?” he said.

He said it in a teasing kind of way, but he really meant it. He'd sensed it from the moment he saw Peridot and her robonoids. Peridot might not see it that way, but there was some genuine kindness between her and Lapis. A friendship not in name, but definitely in practice.

“I simply don't want her to be the best leader she can be,” said Peridot.  "For that to happen, she needs to stop hurting."  

Would finding and capturing Jasper stop Lapis from hurting? No, probably not. But it would at least contribute to the very slow healing process. It seemed that—as a side effect of Steven's visit—Lapis actually wanted to heal. That in itself was progress.

When Steven turned away to speak to Connie, Peridot sneaked a glance at him. What an extraordinary child. Not just because he was a hybrid, but because he seemed to possess some power that Rose Quartz herself had been lacking. Peridot couldn't quite name or categorize this power, but it seemed to have had a surprising effect on Lapis. She'd have to study Steven further if she got the chance.

Maybe Steven was the key to more than just capturing Jasper.


	13. The Hunted Hybrid

Steven sat down next to Peridot. He had no particular reason for choosing to do so. In fact, he realized Connie should probably be in the co-captain's seat. But given his position—or future position at least—he thought he should be where the action was. However, a look at the panel before him made him realize that he barely understood what was going on.

Peridot was busying herself with something that looked very important. Steven didn't particularly like the mildly frustrated look on her face.

He laughed nervously.

“The ship's not going to explode, is it?” he said.

Peridot didn't look at him. She touched one of the glowing diamond-shaped symbols on the panel, causing an ominous red circle to appear on the holographic screen. She tapped the diamond again and another circle joined the first. That didn't look good.

“Unlikely,” said Peridot. “But the gravity shields might malfunction and flatten our bodies.”

Steven started to laugh, but he stopped when he realized she wasn't joking or trying to freak him out. His gaze shot to the red circles on the screen. Were they bigger or was it just his panic?

“Um, how stable is this ship, anyway?” said Steven.

He wasn't sure he wanted the answer to that question.

Peridot shrugged like it was no big deal. Maybe it wasn't for her, but Steven was picturing the ship crashing. Or perhaps it would crumple inwards like a soda can, squashing them into mush. It was hard to tell with this advanced Gem tech.

“The chance of a fatal error is roughly forty-percent,” she said. “There are a number of minor but significant systems that could theoretically malfunction. I've tried my best to deactivate anything that might cause us trouble, but there's always a chance. I've never had to fly something so primitive.”

She sighed dreamily.

“My ship was a beauty,” she said. “Era Two. Such a marked improvement over this flying junk heap.”

Steven got up from his chair. He decided to suspend his questioning until he could slow his heartbeat. He told himself Peridot knew what she was doing, that forty-percent was basically nothing. The odds were even more against him when it came to finding Jasper.

He went over to Amethyst and Connie. The two of them were sitting cross-legged on their sleeping bags. Connie had a map in her lap and Amethyst seemed to be eating empty cans. Lion was curled up asleep in front of the lockers.

Connie folded up the map and lifted her head to look at Steven with a smile on her face.

“It'll take us a day and a half to get to the Agate Empire,” she said.

Steven sat down on his own sleeping bag. The floor wasn't very comfortable, but the ship lacked beds. He doubted he was going to get his recommended eight hours.

“Did Peridot send a message to Holly Blue?” he said.

From the little Lapis had told him about Holly Blue Agate, he thought she would appreciate a warning.

“I think so,” said Connie.

Her smile dropped a little.

“Listen Steven,” she said. “Once we get to the Agate Empire, do you promise not to leave our sight?”

Surprised, Steven stared at Connie. There was concern in her eyes. He remembered how she'd promised Greg that she would protect him. Steven didn't want to be protected. He wanted them to be a team. The last thing he wanted was for Connie to feel like she had to put her life on the line for his sake. But looking into her eyes, Steven realized that she was even more committed to keeping him safe.

“Is this because of what Centipeedle said?” he said.

Amethyst spoke up before Connie could. She sounded agitated.

“Look, we just don't want something to happen to you, okay?” she said. “There are some bad Gems out there. Worse than Jasper. If they know about you...”

She shook her head. They couldn't have stopped the news from getting out anyway, but they'd wanted to at least have some control over it. The world—or at least the Gem portion of the world—wasn't ready to know about Steven. With what was going on, none of them had been able to plan for the inevitable fallout following the reveal of Steven's existence.

“Just stick close, alright?” said Amethyst. “Everything will be fine.”

She playfully slapped Steven's arm. A little too hard.

“You've got Rose's shield,” she said. “If anyone can take care of themselves, it's you.”

Steven looked down at his gemstone. Yes, he did have Rose's shield. So why was everyone constantly worrying about him? Was it because—despite his powers—his body was still made of squishy human flesh?

Worried about the look on Steven's face, Connie jumped to her feet.

“We haven't trained in a while,” she said.

She grinned.

“Think you might have what it takes to win?” she said.

Steven jumped up as well, returning Connie's grin. He summoned his shield and held it in front of him, a look of determination on his face.

“I'm ready for anything,” he said.

He kind of meant that. After having been in a real fight with a Gem, Steven thought he was ready to handle just about anything that came his way. He just hoped that whatever it was didn't involve Jasper. Not yet.

 

* * *

 

Steven's shield-work had improved since their last training session. He seemed more high energy than normal, his moves more quick and deliberate. Watching Connie had greatly helped his focus. He was stumbling and second-guessing himself a lot less, his foot work a lot smoother and less hesitant. When Connie darted behind him with one of her daggers, Steven actually managed to block the attack with his shield, instead of being forced to scamper backwards out of the way.

When their training session ended, Connie let Steven hold one of her daggers.

He marveled at the design. Sharp things were far from his passion, but he had to marvel at the craftsmanship. He didn't know what went into making a dagger, yet he was pretty sure this one had been carved from some kind of gemstone. Probably by hand.

“Did you _make_ this?” he said.

Connie blushed. She appeared very pleased at his assumption.

“I wish,” she said. “They were a gift.”

Steven turned the dagger over in his hands.

“From your parents?” he said.

Connie laughed. She liked how the dagger felt in her hand. So light, yet completely effective. Much like Rose's sword, it could cut right through a Gem's physical form like it was nothing. Maybe it wasn't the ideal weapon, but it was great in a pinch. Plus it looked cool.

“No, from Pearl,” she said.

She smiled at the dagger, a memory coming back to her. She recalled the feeling of absolute pride that had come over her as the dagger was pressed into her hands.

“Pearl really believes in me,” said Connie. “It's kind of overwhelming.”

Her smile faded slightly. A few unfortunate emotions had hopped aboard her recollections. From the get-go, Connie had been certain Pearl would treat her with the same reluctant tolerance she gave most of the other humans in the kingdom. But Pearl must have seen something in Connie, because the opposite had happened. In some ways, that was more of a curse than a blessing.

Steven gave Connie his best reassuring smile.

“Of course Pearl believes in you,” he said. “You're great.”

Connie nervously rubbed her arm. She was touched by Steven's compliment, but it wasn't enough to dissipate the cloud of bad feelings.

“I feel like she's really counting on me,” she said. “Becoming a knight is something that's really important to me. If I fail on this mission, who knows what she'll say.”

Steven grinned. He was really trying—and slowly succeeding—to conquer Connie's souring mood.

“Then we won't fail,” he said. “Do you really think Pearl would have let you tag along if she thought you weren't up for it?”

Connie smiled slightly.

“No, I guess not,” she said. “All I can really do is my best.”

Steven nodded eagerly. He took both of Connie's hands in his own and pulled her closer, his eyes sparkling with determination. He looked like a little kid about to open a huge birthday present.

“If we can't do it, no one can!” he said.

Connie laughed, taken in by Steven's enthusiasm. She was surprised to find that she actually believed him. If they couldn't find and capture Jasper, who else? Maybe they weren't the elite of the Quartz Kingdom, but they weren't a bad team.

Amethyst was lying on the floor a foot or so away. She raised her hand and waved it lazily.

“Yeah, what he said,” Amethyst said.

Connie and Steven both laughed.

Peridot raised her arm. She'd been presumably steering the ship the entire time, or at least she'd been hunched over what seemed to be the main control panel with a serious look on her face.

“Steven, may I speak to you for a moment?” she said.

Steven immediately ran over and plopped down into the chair next to Peridot's.

“What is it?” he said.

He somewhat expected Peridot to announce that the ship was about to crash. It had been smooth sailing since launch, but what did he know about Gem tech? Perhaps the lack of turbulence indicated they were all doomed.

“The explosion of your boat's automated navigation system was what caused your ship to crash, correct?” said Peridot.

Bemused, Steven nodded. He hadn't thought about the actual cause of their boat's sudden demise. His mind had just wrapped up the whole thing as “the boat sank”. But now that he was forced to recollect it again, he realized that Peridot was right. He even remembered the explosion itself.

“Yeah, it was because of Lapis's thing that disrupts Gem tech, right?” said Steven.

But Peridot shook her head. For the first time, Steven noticed that she appeared troubled.

“That's impossible,” she said. “We do have a device that disrupts Gem-made technology, yes. It can freeze the engine of any ship within a two or three mile radius. It can also deactivate or destroy smaller instances of Gem technology within a four or five mile radius.”

She gave another head shake.

“I've run the numbers,” she said. “Your navigational system shouldn't have exploded. At the very least, the blast should have been minor and caused little damage based on its size. The damage caused by the explosion suggests something more intentional.”

Steven stared at Peridot. What was she saying? She couldn't be suggesting what he thought she was. It wasn't possible.

“I believe someone tampered with it,” said Peridot.

"Someone". By “someone”, Peridot meant a Gem from the Quartz Kingdom. Because who else knew about their mission? Who else had access to the ship and to the technology that went into it? Who else could have known how to tamper with it in the first place?

_Pearl_. The name jumped into Steven's mind before he could stop it. It wrapped around his thoughts, holding them in a vice grip until he finally had to acknowledge it. But Pearl couldn't have, right? It had to be someone else. But who?

He stood up. Steven looked over his shoulder at Connie and Amethyst. How was he going to tell them? Should he tell them? Had Connie figured it out a long time ago and she was just too scared to say it out loud?

Steven remembered something else that had survived the boat sinking. The Breaking Point. The weapon Bismuth had shoved into his hands, forcing him to take it “just in case”. Bismuth. Could she have sabotaged the boat? But why? The problem was that Steven couldn't pin down a motive. He didn't know enough about any of the Gems he'd met. He didn't want to believe any of them could have wanted to harm him.

The ship suddenly gave an aggressive lurch.

Steven fell back into his seat. _That_ was familiar.

Peridot frowned at the console in front of her. She tapped the screen with two of her digits, bringing up what appeared to be a blueprint-esque map of the ship. A specific area of the roof seemed to be trying to get her attention. Peridot tapped with one of her digits, causing the view to zoom in.

“What the stars?” she said.

Something red and blinking appeared to have attached itself to a corner of the roof.

Connie and Amethyst came running up to where Peridot and Steven sat, looks of worry on their faces.

“What is _that_?” said Amethyst.

Peridot swirled one of her digits around the red blinking object. The view zoomed in even more, this time isolating the object from the area around it. Steven still couldn't tell what it was, but it seemed to be causing Peridot no shortage of distress.

“It appears to be some kind of remote device,” said Peridot. “Judging by the shape and size, it must be a rather new piece of Gem technology. But where did it come from?”

The image on the screen zoomed out to reveal the vast ocean underneath them. Peridot tapped her digits across several portions of the screen, but nothing appeared. They really seemed to be entirely alone. So where had the thing come from?

“Maybe from above?” said Connie.

Peridot zoomed out further so they could see the sky, but still nothing.

The ship lurched again, this time to the side. Steven clutched the sides of his chair, scared he might pitch sideways and tumble to the floor.

An image appeared on the screen. An extremely zoomed out shot of the ship's exterior. A red dot was blinking off in the distance. It was about the same size and shape as the object that seemed to have attached itself to their ship.

Half of Peridot's digits began nervously pulling on her hair, whilst the others went to work on the panel. She seemed to be trying to do a dozen things at once. But despite her efforts, the ship gave another lurch, this times backwards. She only just managed to stay in her seat.

“It appears we are being hijacked,” she said. “But there's nothing there. How...?”

She stopped, all of her digits freezing in place.

“Of course,” she said. “They're cloaked.”

She started working at an even quicker pace, even as the lurching of the ship became more regular. Steven realized that they were headed backwards instead of forwards. Someone or something was pulling them closer. Peridot hadn't been exaggerating.

Amethyst grabbed the back of Peridot's seat.

“Hurry Peri!” she said.

Steven sat there helplessly. He had no idea what to do. He felt like he should do something. What if it was Jasper? Steven looked around frantically, trying to find the one useful thing in a room full of technology he didn't understand.

His eyes fell on the ladder. The ladder was attached to a hatch that seemed to lead directly to the roof.

Steven quickly got out of his chair. Okay, so he couldn't do much to help Peridot regain control of the ship. But he could do something. He didn't give himself the chance to wonder if it was a good idea. Everyone else was so focused on Peridot's struggle that none of them saw Steven sprint towards the ladder. They didn't see him grab the bottom rung and start hoisting himself up, didn't see the hope on his face as he silently prayed for the hatch to be unlocked.

Just as Steven reached the hatch and it automatically slid open, Connie turned around. She opened her mouth.

“Ste--!” she started.

But then the hatch slammed shut, leaving Connie's shout to bounce off the walls.

Steven struggled to keep himself steady. For one awful moment, he thought he was about to plunge off the roof and into the ocean below. But he somehow kept his balance. Steven stood up, attempting to ignore the drop. They weren't up that high, but it was enough to make him a little queasy.

The blinking device wasn't far from the hatch. Steeling himself, Steven started towards it. He held out his arms as he walked, like he was balancing on a tight rope. He was terrified of stumbling, but more terrified of what would happen if the mysterious Gem managed to get a hold of them. Steven looked around, but he still didn't see another ship. He did see a collection of suspiciously wavering colors off in the distance, but Steven couldn't focus on them for long.

Miraculously, he actually reached the device. It looked like a massive beetle covered in thick tendrils. Steven reached for it slowly, expecting the tendrils to start snapping at him. But the device gave no resistance as he grabbed it. Emboldened, Steven firmly grasped the device and tried to pull it off the ship. No luck. No matter how hard he yanked at it, the thing wouldn't budge.

“Come on,” he groaned.

He pulled harder, really putting his back into it. But the device continued to cling stubbornly, not budging an inch despite Steven's best efforts.

Steven turned back to the hatch. Maybe Amethyst could move it. Or perhaps he could have detached it with Connie's help. Either way, he decided it was best to go back inside and get some help. Hopefully Steven could gather up the courage to walk back to the hatch.

Then the ship lurched yet again. Steven knew what was going to happen a split second before it did. It was again very familiar to him. Even the sensation of falling was much the same. Everything was so familiar to him that he couldn't even summon the usual fear as the air whipped past his ears. He could only brave brace himself, preparing for the bubble to save him yet again. Or maybe it would be Amethyst's whip or Lion this time.

But none of those things happened. A second before Steven was about to hit the water, he felt someone grab him. A pair of strong hands plucked him out of the air. Steven felt himself being clutched to the person's chest.

He opened his eyes. Amethyst?

But the person holding him definitely wasn't Amethyst. They were a lot bigger, their features more defined and rigid. There were two round gemstones stuck on either side of their head. Not Amethyst, but definitely a Gem. She was standing on the water, Steven held firmly in her arms. Her grip was so strong that Steven couldn't even struggle.

“Uh, hi?” said Steven.

The Gem threw Steven over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She turned and nodded at something far in the distance. Steven couldn't make it out—it looked like a haze of shimmering colors—but he guessed it was a ship.

At this new Gem's nod, the diamond-shaped vessel lurched to an abrupt stop. Steven imagined his friends flying everywhere at the abrupt halt.

The massive Gem started running towards the haze of shimmering colors. She moved surprisingly fast and nimbly for a Gem so huge. Her indifferent expression didn't change as she ran, even as Steven began to uselessly pound his fists against her back.

“Wait, we can talk about this!” Steven shouted.

But the Gem didn't seem interested in talking. Steven watched helplessly as the diamond ship got further and further away. It seemed he'd been captured.


	14. Captured

_They'll notice I'm gone. Any minute now._

Steven kept these thoughts on repeat to keep himself calm. But as the words became a grim chant within his own head, it seemed less and less likely that his rescue party was about to arrive. Had any of them even noticed his absence? And if so, were they in a position to do anything about it?

As the mysterious Gem carried him into the ship, Steven nearly laughed at the irony. What had Amethyst said about him sticking close? What a shame he'd dismissed that. But maybe if Steven had stayed with the others, they would have all been captured. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a no-win situation.

“It's funny, isn't it?” he said.

He spoke out loud, even though the Gem carrying him probably wasn't listening. Her stoic expression didn't change as she carried Steven down a long hallway.

“I feel like I have some kind of magical destiny,” said Steven. “But I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do. I mean, I did get myself captured.”

He laughed.

“Nice place you've got here,” he said. “It's really blue. And green. And kind of...purple?”

This ship was a lot bigger and more impressive than the “junk heap”. The interior looked like what Steven would have expected from a Gem ship: big, ominous, and incomprehensible to his human brain. Due to his position, Steven mostly had to rely on brief glimpses. But from what he saw, the place was thoroughly intimidating. It could have been built two days ago.

“I bet you've been all over the galaxy in this thing,” he said.

The Gem carrying him remained expressionless. She stopped in front of a wall covered in teardrop-shaped symbols. She drew a series of lines between the symbols, connecting them to one another in order to form a diamond. A large portion of the wall vanished, revealing a small room. Steven assumed he was about to meet the captain.

He couldn't see anything, but someone began speaking. It wasn't the voice he expected.

“I trust there was no trouble?”

The stoic Gem must have nodded, because the voice continued.

“Perfect. Looks like you've done something right for once.”

Steven spoke up, wiggling his legs as best he could to remind them that he was still there. He'd stopped trying to escape the stoic Gem's grip. It wasn't like there was somewhere for him to go if he managed to get away from her.

“Um, hi,” said Steven. “I'm Steven. But I guess you already knew that. Who are you?”

He expected to be laughed at, but the unseen Gem actually answered him. She sounded amused.

“You may call me Aquamarine,” she said. “I didn't ask for your name.”

Abruptly, the stoic Gem dropped Steven. It happened so suddenly that Steven momentarily thought it wasn't on purpose. Steven hit the floor hard, falling flat on his stomach. He pushed himself up onto all fours, his head spinning from the sudden change of position. Was that headache from stress or simply from the fall? He wanted it to be the latter.

“Is he dead?” said Aquamarine.

She banged her fists on the armrests of her chair.

“Stars above, Topaz,” she said. “If he's dead, I'll have you poofed.”

Steven shook his head to clear it. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation he'd found himself in.

“I'm okay,” he said. “Just bumped my head a little.”

He sat up and finally got a good look at Aquamarine. He was surprised by what he saw. She was so small. Easily the smallest Gem he'd ever seen. It was kind of adorable. Well, it would have been if not for the look on her face. That was the look of someone who had zero tolerance for nonsense.

Aquamarine leaned back in her chair, impatiently tapping her fingers on the armrests.

“Well?” she prompted.

Steven looked around as if he expected someone new to appear. When that didn't happen, he returned his gaze to Aquamarine.

“Well what?” he said.

Aquamarine threw up her hands.

“You're not going to beg for your life?” she said. “How boring.”

She waved her hand.

“Suit yourself,” she said. “If you won't play nice, you can spend a few hours in a nice cozy cell.”

She shot Steven a smug little smirk.

“How rude of me,” she said. “Suit yourself, _Steven_.”

Topaz grabbed Steven and threw him over her shoulder again. He realized he probably should have tried to escape. But where could he go? Steven doubted he could have gotten far in this unfamiliar environment. And with no idea what the others were doing, he was flying completely solo.

But the others are coming for me, he thought. Any minute now.

Steven plastered a hopeful smile on his face. He had to stay positive. If not for his own sake, for the sake of everyone else. They were going to need some good vibes.

 

* * *

 

 

By “nice and cozy”, Aquamarine must have meant “cramped and depressing”. The entire cell block was far more drab than the rest of the ship. It seemed to have been stripped of any personality. While Steven shouldn't have expected anything more cheerful—it was a cell block after all—the sight of it made his stomach clench.

“Are you two explorers or something?” said Steven. “Do you collect cool animals from all over the world?”

He spoke calmly enough, but he was trying to get a look at each cell as he passed. Instead of bars, each one had some kind of green forcefield draped over the entrance. None of them seemed to be occupied. Why would Aquamarine even have them in the first place?

As per usual, Topaz remained silent. If she was listening, she apparently found Steven boring. Nevertheless, Steven kept talking. He liked hearing the sound of his own voice, even if Topaz seemed to be pretending he didn't exist.

“I wonder what Connie's doing,” he said. “She's a friend of mine. I bet she's freaking out right now. I hope she doesn't blame herself.”

Topaz reached the cell at the very end of the row. She unceremoniously tossed Steven inside.

Steven frowned as he got to his feet. He was sick of being tossed around like a ragdoll. It wasn't like he was resisting or anything.

He thought Topaz would leave as soon as he was safely in his cell, but she stuck around. She seemed to be standing guard, her back to him and her hands folded behind her. She looked like the perfect example of an obedient soldier. Steven couldn't help wondering if she was a representation of what Gems were supposed to be: unquestioning and indifferent.

“Are you just going to stand there?” he said.

Topaz didn't look at him. Steven took that as a “yes”. So even if he thought up some masterful escape plan, he'd have to get past what was essentially a living wall. If only Connie was with him. She would have had them out of there in two minutes with some ingenious plan.

Steven sat down on the floor, his knees against his chest. He leaned against the wall, sighing as he lifted his head to look at the ceiling. How had he even gotten himself into this situation? Was it all because he'd been trying to take charge and do something brave? Maybe if Steven hadn't decided to play the hero, Peridot would have gotten them out of there.

“What do I know about Gem anything?” he said.

He shut his eyes. He could feel himself starting to cry as he thought about his friends. They were most likely horrified, wondering where he was and how he'd slipped away from them. They'd been so sure they could protect him and Steven had come to believe that too.

“Maybe Garnet is right,” he said. “Maybe I'm not ready to know everything. Everything new I learn just distracts me from what I really want to know.”

He raised his head and opened his eyes.

“I want to understand why my mom did the things she did,” he said. “Everyone seems to think she was amazing, but everything new I learn about her makes her sound like she wasn't.”

He clutched the sides of his head in frustration, the tears flowing faster.

“How can everyone expect me to be like someone I never met?” he said. “I don't understand why she chose to abandon all the people who counted on her just so she could have me. Was she running from her problems? Was she tired of being Rose Quartz?”

He shook his head firmly.

“I could never do that to my friends,” said Steven. “I know it's silly, but I really care about them. I feel like I can count on them. No matter how much stuff they won't tell me, I care about them more than anything. Even Peridot and Lapis.”

Steven shut his eyes again.

“Maybe it's because we all have something in common,” he said. “We're all lost. Do you know what that's like?”

“Yes.”

Steven opened his eyes. He turned to look at Topaz's broad back, his expression quizzical.

“Topaz?” he said.

Topaz turned around to face him. It might have been a trick of the bad lighting, but she suddenly looked softer. She was no longer emitting the chilly apathy of a stoic soldier. When Topaz spoke, she sounded warm and emotional.

“Yes,” she repeated.

She sat down cross-legged in front of Steven's cell. It definitely wasn't just the bad lighting. She actually looked friendlier. Steven was surprisingly unshaken by the abrupt shift in personality. This new Topaz seemed as natural as the unfeeling soldier persona she'd been utilizing up to that point.

“I get it,” she said. “You love your friends. I understand.”

Topaz wrapped her arms around herself and smiled. Was it Steven's imagination or did she have tears in her eyes?

“I'm not sure what Topaz would do without Topaz,” she said.

Steven puzzled over that odd sentence for a moment. His gaze wandered to the gems on either side of Topaz's head.

“Oh, you're a fusion?” he said.

Topaz blushed, nervously playing with her fingers. Obviously this wasn't a common topic for her. For that matter, maybe talking in general wasn't common for her. If Aquamarine was the only Gem she had contact with on a regular basis, Steven doubted Topaz had a lot of deep conversations.

“Well, yeah,” she said. “Aren't you?”

Steven thought about this. He wasn't one in the traditional sense, but wasn't that kind of a good explanation? He was—in a mostly non-literal sense—a fusion of Greg Universe and Rose Quartz.

“Is that what Gems are calling me?” he said.

Topaz shrugged her massive shoulders.

“Aquamarine calls you a hybrid,” she said.

Steven decided to push his luck. He wasn't going to get anything out of Aquamarine, but Topaz was a different story.

“Why did you guys kidnap me?” he said.

Topaz looked guilty. Steven wondered why she stuck with someone like Aquamarine. With Peridot and Lapis, he could understand why they stuck together. But Topaz and Aquamarine? That seemed like a match made in Nightmare Land.

“It's what we do,” said Topaz. “We're bounty hunters.”

So they weren't taking Steven to some higher authority or planning to just keep him locked up forever. That was a relief. But who had put out a bounty on him? Who was after him?

“Aquamarine thinks you're some kind of dangerous fugitive,” said Topaz.

Fresh fear was stirring in Steven's chest. If Aquamarine thought that, a lot of Gems probably believed something similar. He'd gone from being a future leader to Public Enemy Number One for probably over half of Gemkind. Someone really was out to get him.

“I'm not,” said Steven. “You believe me, right?”

Topaz looked up.

“If Aquamarine thinks you're dangerous, then you're dangerous,” she said.

She got to her feet. Just like that, she was back to being a stoic soldier. Her face had gone totally blank.

“Topaz?” said Steven.

He heard someone humming. It sounded like Aquamarine. Topaz must have heard her first.

Aquamarine was flying, but there was still a sort of spring to her step. She was twirling something in her hand. It looked like a baton of some kind. When she reached Steven's cell, she pointed the baton-like object at him. She had that huge smirk on her face.

“Well, well, well,” she said. “Who knew I'd be the one to catch the most dangerous creature in existence?”

She laughed.

“Oh wait,” she said. “Of course it was me. Who else?”

She playfully tapped her baton against the forcefield. A series of ripples spread from the point of impact.

“You've been quite the pain in my gem, Steven Universe,” she said. “Tracking you down has not been easy. That nosy Centipoodle or whatever her name is did everything she could to stop me.”

Steven jumped to his feet.

“I'm not who you think I am,” he said. “I know my mother did some bad things, but...”

Aquamarine threw back her head and let out a peal of laughter. When her mirth subsided, she folded her hands behind her back and leaned forward.

“Your _mother_?” she said. “This isn't about your mother. It's about _you_ , Steven.”

She started moving her baton in lazy circles, holding it about an inch from the forcefield.

“Special little Steven,” she said. “Son of Rose Quartz. Heir to the Quartz Kingdom.”

She leaned forward again, almost putting her face against the forcefield. Her grin was almost cartoonishly wide.

“Disgusting hybrid abomination,” she said.

Aquamarine flew over to Topaz and perched on her shoulder. She turned to look at Steven, leaning her head against the side of Topaz's face. There was something perfect about them. On their own they weren't much, but together they were a flawless example of intimidation.

“So you're Rose Quartz's final plan?” said Aquamarine. “I have to say, I'm impressed. You're far more weak and pathetic than I expected.”

Steven knew he was wasting his time, but he decided to reply anyway.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” he said. “I'm not Rose's plan. I'm her son!”

Aquamarine approached the forcefield again. She pressed the tip of her baton against it, smirking at Steven's defiant expression.

“I don't care,” she said.

She spun around to face Topaz.

“Keep an eye on him,” she said. “If he tries anything, you have my permission to stop him by any means necessary. No one said we had to deliver him in one piece.”

She tapped her chin with her baton.

“In fact, maybe we should break him into thirds,” she said. “Then he'll be much easier to transport.”

Aquamarine shrugged.

“For now, just make sure he doesn't escape,” she said.

She left Topaz to it. Aquamarine made her way back down the row of cells, humming as she went along. She sounded like she was the happiest Gem in the world. Steven would have been glad for her if it wasn't for the fact that his capture was the source of her glee.

Steven slumped against the wall of his cell. Escaping wasn't going to be easy. It might very well be impossible.

“Any minute now,” he muttered.

What was taking them so long?


	15. Connie

Peridot was frantically fiddling with the ship's control panel as symbols flashed on the screen. She had no clue what their hijackers had done to the ship. Everything seemed to be going haywire for no good reason. In all her years of dealing with Gem tech, Peridot had never seen anything so chaotic.

_But that was mostly_ old _Gem tech_ , she reminded herself.

These Gems—they had to be Gems—were using newer stuff. Whatever it was, Peridot would have been fascinated if she wasn't panicking. She was shouting orders at Connie, realizing for the first time that steering this ship might be a two-person job. Better late than never.

Connie had plopped down into the other chair. She was doing a great job of playing co-captain, even if she only half-understood what Peridot was telling her.

Amethyst dropped down from the hatch, landing on all fours upon the smooth floor. She shook her head like a wet dog, then quickly got to her feet.

“He's not up there,” she said.

Connie shot a horrified glance at Amethyst, but she hurriedly turned back to her work as Peridot shouted more orders.

“Are you sure?” she said.

She had to shout. The ship was creaking and shaking like it was about to explode. Warning lights were flashing, as if they needed anymore proof that they were in deep shit. Connie was afraid another shipwreck was in the cards.

Amethyst scampered up behind Connie and clutched the back of her seat. She was clearly distressed as she processed her own words. She had seen Steven go up that hatch. She was sure of it and so was Connie. But then everything turned to chaos and Amethyst couldn't be sure what she'd seen.

“Completely,” she said. “What do we do?”

She felt helpless. If something had happened to Steven, they were all screwed. This wasn't just about Jasper or their mission. It was about everything Garnet had told Amethyst in secret.

Connie took a very deep breath. Okay, so Steven was gone. Bad. They had no idea where he was. Worse. But he was probably fine. He was Steven. If there was anything Connie had learned, it was that Steven was always fine. With that in mind, Connie plowed ahead.

“First we have to fix the ship,” she said. “Then we can worry about Steven.”

Her hands moved quickly as she rushed to obey another series of frantic orders from Peridot.

“Amethyst, you need to get that thing off the ship,” she said. “By any means necessary.”

Despite the dire situation, Amethyst's eyes lit up. “By any means necessary” were her favorite words. They didn't get tossed out a lot and they was rarely directed at her. But when someone gave her the go-ahead to do whatever she wanted, it was like Amethyst had found paradise. Saluting, Amethyst jogged back to the hatch and scurried back up to the roof.

Relieved that something might actually be done about their situation, Connie relaxed slightly. Her brain was split between two priorities: the ship and Steven. Steven was higher on her priority list, but rescuing him was less of an immediate concern. No ship, no rescue.

A minute later, the ship reeled again. Connie and Peridot cried out as they both spilled out of their chairs and slid a few inches across the floor.

Peridot scrambled back to her seat on all fours. She grabbed the arm of the chair and hoisted herself up, letting out a scream of frustration. She pulled herself back into her seat and placed several of her digits upon the control panel. Peridot reached forward to start working again, but she stopped herself.

The ship had stabilized itself. Without the interference from that mysterious device, it had automatically returned to a working state. None of the major systems were failing and the warning lights had shut off.

“Thank the stars!” Peridot said.

She slid down in her chair. Life with Lapis was hardly perfect, but it was a lot less stressful. What in the stars had she gotten herself into? Peridot suddenly wished Lapis had asked—no, begged—for her to stay on the island. Let Steven and his crew fend for themselves on their adventure.

Amethyst returned to the interior. She had something in her hands. When Connie and Peridot turned to look at her, Amethyst raised the object and waved it above her head. She was grinning like she'd had the time of her life. Maybe she had, even if Peridot and Connie had been freaking out.

Peridot got out of her seat and hurried over to Amethyst. Before the latter could say anything, Peridot snatched the object out of Amethyst's hands. She held it up to her face, squinting at the unfamiliar piece of Gem tech. Amethyst had done quite a number on it. The top half of the beetle-like object was caved in, exposing its sleek mechanical innards. Two of its “tentacles” had been torn off and probably thrown into the ocean.

“Incredible,” she said.

Amethyst rolled her eyes. Of course Peridot would be more interested in some little toy than Amethyst's heroic deed. Classic Peri.

“Don't thank me or anything,” she said.

At her words, Peridot tore her eyes away from the device.

“Uh, thank you, Amethyst,” she said.

Her words were stiff, but Amethyst could tell she was being sincere. She smiled. Peridot had changed a little since the last time they met. Granted, that had been a long time ago. But Amethyst still remembered when Peridot was a lot more cold and detached.

Peridot turned back to Connie.

“Any read on that ship?” she said.

In the excitement, Connie had forgotten about the ship. But now that she was reminded, she realized that Steven had probably been taken to whatever cloaked vessel had attacked them. Someone with advanced Gem tech and insider knowledge of their whereabouts had set this whole thing up. Connie didn't think it was Jasper. A wantd fugitive like Jasper couldn't have gotten their hands on a ship.

Connie pulled up one of the screens and did a quick search. Nothing. She did some scans and found no trace of any ship. Not even the vague implication of a cloaked vessel within twenty miles. The ship—and Steven—had moved on.

Her hands were shaking. This couldn't be happening. They couldn't have failed so badly. Not on a mission like this. Not when the whole Quartz Kingdom was counting on them to do their best. But that was the problem: they had done their best and the worst had happened.

“Steven,” Connie said.

The name came out as a pitiful mewl. She put her face in her hands. The day had finally come. At last, Connie had proof that she wasn't cut out to be a knight. Pearl had taught her that being a knight was all about protecting those who mattered. Well, Steven mattered and Connie had failed to protect him. What did that say about her?

Amethyst put her hand on Connie's shoulder.

“They couldn't have gotten that far,” she said.

The lie wasn't very comforting. Of course Steven and his captors could have gotten far. They could be halfway across the galaxy for all Amethyst knew. But it was all she could think of to say.

Peridot looked around, a confused expression on her face.

“Does your large feline companion often turn invisible?” she said.

Connie raised her head and looked around. No one had been paying any attention due to the chaos, but Steven wasn't the only one missing. Lion had vanished sometime between Steven's capture and the ship stabilizing itself.

“Lion?” Connie said.

She got out of her chair and gave the room another through once-over, as if she could have missed the gigantic fluffy feline. No Lion. He wasn't squashed into a corner or something. He was just gone.

Connie jumped when she heard what sounded like a roar from outside. She hurried over to the nearest window—it was more of a porthole—and stuck her head out.

Lion was standing on the water and staring up at her. If it was possible for a lion to look impatient, that pretty much described the look on Lion's face. He might have been trying to get their attention for a while. Connie wasn't friends with Lion—it was hard to be friends with a giant pink lion—but they had shared the garden at the castle with a relative amount of serenity. Connie thought Lion trusted her.

He turned to look in the direction the cloaked ship had probably gone and let out another loud roar. He then turned back to Connie and looked at her expectantly.

Without giving herself time to think, Connie squeezed herself out of the open window and jumped out of the ship. She heard Peridot and Amethyst screaming as she did so. She heard Amethyst's whip fly past the spot where she'd been in a clumsy attempt to catch her. Good thing Connie knew where she was landing.

She closed her eyes as she landed on Lion's back. Panting slightly, Connie dug her hands into Lion's fluffy mane. She was a bit shocked by her own bravery. She wasn't usually one for jumping off of things. But Connie had been sure that Lion would catch her.

“You know where Steven is?” she said.

Lion didn't answer—he couldn't talk after all—but she didn't need a reply. Connie looked back up at the ship. She saw Peridot and Amethyst staring at her from the window she'd just jumped through.

“Connie, get back here!” Amethyst said.

But Connie yelled back, planning to do no such thing.

“I think Lion knows where Steven is,” she said.

As if on cue, Lion started running. Connie had to hang on tight to avoid being thrown off. She leaned forward like she was on a horse, flattening herself against Lion's body and touching her chin to his mane. For such a big animal, he was majestic and smooth on his paws. Connie could hear Amethyst and Peridot shouting at her, but their voices soon faded into the distance.

Lion ran as if he knew exactly where he was going. Connie didn't know how, but she didn't care. What mattered was that she could tell Lion wasn't tracking the mysterious ship. He was tracking Steven.

_Hold on, Steven_ , Connie silently pleaded. _Just hold on. For me._

 

* * *

 

 

Connie didn't want to doze off, but she ended up doing just that. She didn't even notice that she had fallen asleep. From her perspective, she just blinked and suddenly the scenery changed.

She rubbed her eyes. How long had she been out? She felt like she'd only been sleeping for three minutes, but it was probably closer to an hour or two.

“Steven?” she said.

If Steven was around, he didn't answer her shout. Connie looked around, taking in her brand new surroundings. Lion seemed to have taken a pit stop or something on a small deserted island. For a brief moment, Connie thought he'd taken her back to the Lapis Lands. But as she reluctantly dismounted, she saw no sign of a Gem settlement. This was just some random little island.

As soon as he was free of Connie, Lion curled up and went to sleep. Connie couldn't tell if he was tired—did he even get tired?--or if he just wanted a break. Either way, he obviously wasn't moving until he finished his nap. There wasn't much Connie could do about that, even if she was desperate to find Steven.

At least Connie was finally able to take stock of what she had, where she was, and what she had done. She'd left her friends behind without thinking. Would Pearl be proud of her or angry that she'd abandoned her team? Did Connie really care at this point? Sure, she respected Pearl as a teacher and as a friend. But in all honesty, she cared more about finding Steven.

She touched the hilt of Rose's sword. Well, she had that and whatever was in her pockets. A good weapon and a strong wit was really all a good knight needed, right? Smiling to keep her spirits up, Connie started exploring the island. Unfortunately, unlike Gems she also needed food. Having lived around Gems her whole life, Connie sometimes forgot that she was merely human. Maybe that was why she'd rushed off with Lion.

An hour later, Connie dumped a pile of fishes next to a homemade fire pit. Good thing she'd binged all those survival books.

Lion's nose twitched. He must have smelled the fishes, because his eyes fluttered open. He yawned and stretched, then wandered over to the fire pit. Connie hadn't caught much—and most of it was small fishes—but it was enough to get them both through the night.

The smell of cooking fish started to make Connie's mouth water. She wasn't a huge fan of seafood, but it had been a while since she'd eaten anything.

“I hope you know where you're going,” she said.

Lion nabbed a fish off the pile. Connie took that to mean that he most certainly knew where he was going. She just wished she had an idea of what they'd find there. Steven, safe and sound? That was definitely the dream, but she had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. Someone other than Jasper might be pulling strings. Maybe it had been someone other than Jasper all along.

“Great,” said Connie. “Everyone in the Quartz Kingdom is a suspect.”

She bit off a piece of cooked fish. Not bad. Needed salt. As she chewed, Connie grabbed a nearby stick—one of the sharpened ones she'd been using to fish—and started drawing in the sand.

First she drew the letter P, followed by B, and so on and so forth until she'd listed the first letter of the name of every Gem she knew. It was a long list and it almost physically hurt Connie to make it. She hated imagining these Gems—her friends and practically her family—as suspects. She didn't like to think that any of them might been conspiring to hurt Steven or the kingdom they supposedly loved. But Connie had to be objective, even if it made her feel like an asshole.

Pearl. Pearl's loyalty to Rose Quartz was unquestionable. She would have given her life to make Rose happy. There was no way Pearl would do anything to hurt the kingdom Rose Quartz had built. But at the same time, Amethyst and Garnet often said that Pearl had changed after Rose's death. According to them, she'd become just a little colder, a little less like the Pearl they'd known. Was Pearl still the Gem who'd bravely fought alongside Rose Quartz? Did anyone know what was going on inside her head? Frowning, Connie drew a question mark next to the P.

Bismuth. Bismuth had some kind of history with Rose Quartz. No one seemed to know the full story. Connie hadn't even been able to catch snippets. None of them really knew Bismuth. Sighing, Connie drew a question mark next to the B.

She crossed out A and P without thinking. They weren't even on the table.

Next were the Rubies. Connie hadn't bothered to list them individually. Instead she'd just written R. She simply couldn't imagine any of them doing something to hurt the Quartz Kingdom. From what little she knew, Rose had rescued them. They'd just been a bunch of lost Rubies, unsure what to do or how to survive in this brave new world created by the dissolution of the Diamond Republic. Rose had given them identities and a purpose. Why would any of them want to hurt what Rose had built? For that matter, did any of them have the capacity to do so? Connie crossed them out without a second thought.

Who did that leave? Centipeedle, Jasper, Garnet, and Lapis. And Connie had zero evidence for any of them. Garnet had been leading the Quartz Kingdom for centuries, Connie was starting to believe that Jasper was a secondary threat, Lapis was more of the broody type, and she didn't know enough about Centipeedle to make assumptions. There was always Holly Blue Agate, but Connie was again hindered by lack of information.

She hung her head and let out a sigh of frustration. Connie didn't even notice that Lion had eaten most of the fishes. Who was after Steven? Who should they be afraid of and who should they trust?

“No one,” Connie answered herself. “We shouldn't trust anyone.”

That would be Pearl's conclusion, right? To just abandon trust entirely and go at it alone? But Connie couldn't do that. Even if it was what a true knight would do, Connie couldn't write off all of her friends like that, not even for the sake of protecting Steven.

Connie started to close her eyes. Sleep. She needed to give her brain a rest. Then maybe everything would make more sense. Or maybe it would make even less sense. Connie didn't care. She just wanted to lie down and let herself dream.

She was just starting to drift off when she heard the noise. Connie immediately opened her eyes. That had to be her imagination or Lion. Nevertheless, Connie grabbed her sword and got to her feet. A true knight would make sure.

Fighting back the urge to call out, Connie started towards where she'd thought the noise had come from. The island was small, but most of it was covered by a a thick area of trees and foliage. Perfect for hiding. And Connie hadn't checked the perimeter before settling down.

She reached the tree line and waited. Now she was sure she heard something. Maybe footsteps. Whatever it was, it was getting louder. Someone or something was coming right towards her. Connie looked behind her to see if Lion was backing her up. He seemed to have settled down for another nap.

Connie held her sword at the ready. She thought she was prepared for anything. After all she'd seen on this adventure alone, nothing could surprise her.

A figure stepped out of the trees.

Connie slightly lowered her sword, staring in disbelief. She thought it was some weird hallucination or a trick of the light. But she blinked and the image before her didn't go away. She was seeing exactly what—and who—she thought she was.

“Centipeedle?” she said.

Centipeedle stepped forward. Unlike Connie, she didn't look surprised. It was as if she'd been waiting for this encounter.

“We need to talk about Steven,” she said.

Connie completely lowered Rose's sword. She remembered what she'd just told herself about not trusting anyone. Her heart sank. That wasn't going to work, was it? If they were going to get through this, Connie was going to have to figure out who was on their side.


	16. Peri and Amy

Amethyst jammed her fists into her hair and shouted at the ceiling in frustration. First Steven, now Connie and Lion. Their team was quite literally falling apart before their eyes. The actually competent members who could have taken charge—and Amethyst was including Lion—had abandoned them, leaving it down to her and Peridot.

“We're fucked,” Amethyst said.

She started to pace.

“We're _fucked,”_ she repeated. “Garnet's going to kill us.”

She shut her eyes. Forget Garnet. What about _Pearl?_ Holy shit. If Pearl contacted them and found out they'd lost both Steven _and_ Connie, it was game over. Amethyst was in the worst trouble of her life and she couldn't even imagine the punishment.

“We should have gone after her,” said Amethyst. “Why didn't we?”

She let out a cry of exasperation and slammed her fist against one of the lockers. She wasn't angry at Connie. No, Connie was just being a good knight. But Amethyst—in a moment of sheer foolishness—had done absolutely nothing to stop her or even tried to follow her. She'd simply stood there like an idiot, watching Lion and Connie disappear into the distance.

Peridot was fiddling with something. Amethyst couldn't imagine what Peridot was up to. It wasn't like they actually had a destination anymore. They could have continued to the Agate Empire, but what good would that have done them? They couldn't just pretend Steven, Connie, and Lion weren't gone.

“Please calm down,” said Peridot.

Amethyst spun to face the back of Peridot's head, her eyes wide with outrage and shock.

“How can you say that?” she demanded. “Do you know how screwed we are if we don't find those three _right now?”_

Peridot shrugged.

“Your friend Connie seems to be of above average intelligence,” she said. “I would assume her survival and problem-solving skills are far more evolved then those of your average human. I believe there is a seventy-percent chance she will find Steven.”

Amethyst would have preferred higher odds, but she let herself be calmed by the realization. Connie did have the brains to track down Steven and get him back to the ship on her own. But that wasn't actually the core of Amethyst's worries. What she was actually stressed about was the idea that something might happen to Connie before she could reach Steven. Connie might have been a knight, but she was also a human. Humans had certain vulnerabilities, as Pearl loved to point out.

“So what do we do?” she said. “Go after Connie? Or try to find that ship?”

Peridot lifted her head and spun around in her chair. Resting on her lap were the broken remains of the device Amethyst had pried off of the ship. The outer layer had been carefully peeled back to reveal a maze of thin silver wires and transparent panels. Even if Amethyst had been an expert, she wouldn't have been able to make sense of the device's complex insides.

“No, we find Jasper,” said Peridot.

She sounded confident.

Amethyst threw up her arms. She couldn't blame Peridot for being, well, _Peridot,_ but she was completely justified in her frustration. Things had gone to shit and all Peridot cared about was their original mission. Not surprising, but Amethyst would have given anything for a different co-pilot on this two-Gem adventure.

“Who cares about Jasper?” Amethyst demanded. “She doesn't know where Steven is.”

She almost added an _I hope,_ but she wouldn't even let herself say it. With all the stuff that had gone wrong, it made sense that Jasper would have pounced on their bad luck. Maybe they'd been going about this all wrong. Maybe Jasper wasn't working alone.

Peridot carefully placed the device on the ground, then turned back to the interface. She started resetting their course.

“No, she doesn't,” she said. “But if we find Jasper, we'll find Steven.”

Amethyst stared at Peridot, scared of the implication.

“You think she...?” Amethyst started.

The ship started moving again. Amethyst knew where they were going without even asking. They were heading for the Agate Empire, the only place they could go. Well, they could have gone back to the Lapis Lands. But ahead was progress.

“I don't know,” said Peridot.

Amethyst couldn't think of anything to say. With their team scattered to the winds, she felt like she just had to keep leaning on those hollow reassurances. She had to believe that if they just kept going, everything would be fine. Connie and Lion would find Steven, Steven would be alright, Jasper would be caught. Then they could all head back to the Quartz Kingdom and laugh about it. She would have loved to start laughing right then and there.

But Amethyst was starting to get stressed out again. She didn't feel like laughing.

 

* * *

 

 

Steven lay on the floor of his cell, staring up at the ceiling. All things considered, pretty comfy. Sure, he would have liked to have a bed, maybe a toilet, and a stack of board games. But at least he wasn't alone. That was something, even if Steven was starting to worry about where he was going to piss.

“Hey Topaz,” he whispered. “You awake?”

He didn't know what time it was. Maybe it wasn't even the same day. Steven had been drifting in and out of sleep for what might have been hours. With no clock or even a watch, he realized it could have been days since he'd first been taken.

Topaz was sitting cross-legged on the floor, her back to him. She answered without hesitation.

“Of course,” she said. “Do you need anything?”

Steven reflected. A way to get out of there was pretty high on his list of needs, but he decided that might not go over too well. A toilet was another big need, but he doubted Topaz or Aquamarine were able to comply. The same went for a bed. At least he still had Connie's dagger, not that it was doing him much good.

“Could you tell me a bedtime story?” he said.

It was all he could think of. Steven had grown out of bedtime stories a long time ago, but something about being on that ship made him wish for one. He wanted to be back home, but it was more than that. Steven wanted to be a toddler again, snuggled up in bed while his dad sang him to sleep. There had been a time before Steven found out he was the heir to the Quartz Kingdom, but that seemed like centuries ago.

Topaz turned to him excitedly, kneeling on all fours so she was at eye level with the cell.

“Do you want to hear about how Topaz met Topaz?” she said.

Steven nodded. It somewhat blew him away that Topaz was so eager just to talk to him. She didn't see him as either an abomination or someone who needed to be protected. She just regarded him as Steven. He hadn't realized how much he needed someone to look at him and not see labels.

Topaz launched into a long story that immediately grabbed Steven's attention. He was quiet throughout, listening in silent fascination as Topaz related how her halves had come together. She explained how they'd both been assigned to Aquamarine back before the Diamond Republic fell. She told Steven how they'd slowly learned gotten used to fusing and how they'd eventually realized how difficult it was to live without one another. Soon fusion had been something Topaz and Topaz craved because it hurt so much to be apart.

“We wanted to stay fused forever, but Topaz told Topaz that we couldn't,” she said. “But the longer we were apart, the more we wanted to be together.”

Steven thought for a moment. He looked into Topaz's eyes. Steven saw kindness and curiosity, but also just a hint of regret. He wasn't sure what she regretted. Her allegiance to Aquamarine?

“You know, you don't have to stick with Aquamarine,” he said. “It's a big world. You can do anything you want.”

Topaz appeared genuinely surprised at this. Judging by the look on her face, Steven suspected Topaz had never even thought about what she wanted. It had always been about following Aquamarine, being the obedient and stoic brawn to Aquamarine's brains. But there was more than that. So much more. The problem was, Topaz had taken a long time to see beyond that narrow lens of life that had been hers for centuries.

“Anything?” she whispered.

Steven sat up.

“Yeah, anything,” he said. “So what do you want to do? Do you want to just follow Aquamarine forever?”

Topaz seriously thought about that for a minute. She thought about how Aquamarine bossed her around, how she never got to voice her opinion, how she rarely got the chance to talk to anyone. Steven was the first person she'd actually spoken to in years.

“No,” she said.

She spoke firmly as the realization washed over her.

“Well, what do you want to do?” said Steven.

Topaz straightened up, clenching her fists and lifting her gaze to the ceiling. She reached inside her mind, feeling around for an answer. There had to be something there. Some subtle desire she'd locked away because Aquamarine would have laughed at it.

“I want to ride in a boat,” she said.

She dropped her gaze back to Steven.

“Not a small boat,” she said. “One of those really big ones. I don't know what you humans call them.”

She spread her hands apart to demonstrate the approximate size. She looked dreamy, like she'd fallen into her own beautiful fantasy. Topaz could almost feel the wind on her face as she voiced what felt like a forbidden desire.

Coming back to reality, Topaz grinned at Steven.

“What about you?” she said. “What do _you_ like to do?”

At a loss, Steven attempted to tell her about his former life in Beach City. He had to pause a lot to explain things—such as this mysterious food-heating device called a “microwave” that was somehow different from an oven—but he actually liked talking about his old life. Nevertheless, he felt a pang of sadness as he internally referred to it as his “old life”. No more Beach City for him. The Quartz Kingdom was going to be his home, possibly for the rest of his life. When Steven had pictured growing up, he'd imagined something much less jarring.

Looking at Topaz's eager face, he felt just a little bit jealous. It was easy for Gems. Gems just popped out of the ground with a purpose already assigned to them. No remorse for a life left far behind, only a sense of duty and destiny. But then Steven felt guilty for even considering that such a life might be ideal. It was exactly the type of existence Rose Quartz had fought to escape. And looking into Topaz's eyes, Steven realized that Rose was completely justified in wanting something more than predetermined beginnings and endings.

“You went sailing _every day?”_ said Topaz, awestruck.

Steven laughed.

“Well, I went sailing once,” he said. “It was a present for my thirteenth birthday.”

Topaz sat down, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

“I wish I could go sailing,” she said.

Steven pressed his hand to the forcefield. It was cold and pulsing to the touch.

“You can,” he said. “We can both go.”

He pressed his hand more firmly against the forcefield. Steven was getting an idea. It was crazy, but it made more sense than sitting around and doing nothing while his friends panicked. Talking about Beach City had forced Steven to realize an unfortunate truth: he was alone. His friends might be coming to save him, they might not be. He had no way of knowing. So for the time being, Steven was going to have to take control of his fate.

The forcefield didn't look solid, but Steven expected a lot of resistance. He was surprised when his finger—with some careful prodding—breached the barrier. A sort of subtle electric humming started at the base of his fingernail, but otherwise it seemed alright.

Steven gave his finger a little wriggle, making sure it was still attached. Confirming that he was still in one piece, Steven pushed a little harder. This time his whole hand went through the barrier. The electric humming got a little more intense when he gave his hand an experimental shake, but Steven felt no pain.

Topaz gaped at him like he was an anomaly. To be fair, he kind of was.

“How are you doing that?” she said.

Steven shrugged as if it was no big deal, but he was actually freaking out over his own ability. His best guess was that these cells were built to hold Gem fugitives. Since he was half-human, the magic or technology or whatever was having trouble keeping him contained. It still felt weird, but Steven wasn't screaming in pain as he slowly forced his whole body through the forcefield.

_Why didn't I do this earlier?_ he wondered.

But he knew the answer to that. Earlier, he'd believed that his friends were coming to rescue him. Now that this hope had evaporated, Steven was able to start taking risks.

The barrier clung to Steven's ankle as he stepped out of his cell, but it slowly fell back into place as he took one lunging step forward. He bent over and grabbed his knees, staring down at the polished floor. Steven was free. But he was also the opposite of free, because he was still on that damn ship in the middle of who-knows-where. Oh well. Small victories.

“Um, can you help me get out of here?” he said.

Topaz raised a hand to her mouth and considered Steven, an anxious look on her face. She could already hear Aquamarine's scolding. No, it would be worse than a scolding. It would be a two-hour tirade about how Topaz was literally the worst excuse for a minion. And maybe she was, considering the fact that she wanted to side with a dangerous captive.

“We can go sailing,” Steven added.

The hesitation instantly left Topaz's face as her eyes lit up. Her decision was made even before the words left her mouth.

“Of course I'll help you.”

 

* * *

 

Amethyst tossed a candy bar—wrapper and all—into her mouth. Light munching was lethargic for her. It brought down her stress levels and allowed her to focus on what was important.

Except she'd eaten way more than her fair share and Amethyst still felt like they were trapped in a shitty situation. They definitely were, but she'd anticipated the food being a good distraction. Instead she found herself surrounded by piles of food that she knew weren't going to make her feel any better. Oh well. Since it was within reach, she might as well get some snacking done.

“Yo Peri,” she said. “You want one of these protein bars? They're good for you or something.”

Amethyst waved the bar above her head. She'd eaten a few and she didn't feel any healthier. But maybe she wasn't supposed to turn the box upside down and scarf down five at once.

Peridot minimized the screen in front of her with a swift flick of one digit. She then pulled one of the many other screens towards her and enlarged it.

“No thank you,” she said. “Gems don't need to eat.”

Amethyst rolled her eyes. Sometimes she couldn't believe Peridot, but most of the time she could. It was like they lived on different wavelengths. Now that she thought about it, Amethyst supposed they did.

“Yeah, but eating is _fun,”_ she said.

Peridot stopped, her digits hovering in front of the enlarged screen.

“ _Fun?”_ she said. “We're on a mission to apprehend a dangerous fugitive out to destroy the Quartz Kingdom and you think we should be having _fun?”_

Amethyst hung her head.

“I guess you're right,” she said. “I'm sorry.”

She actually was. Peridot needed to loosen up most of the time, but at times she had a point. Amethyst was trying a little too hard to ignore the actual stakes of their mission. Maybe it was because she still had Steven in the back of her head. She wanted to feel like they were doing the right thing by continuing on, but she kept thinking about how she'd made a promise to Rose Quartz.

Right before they left, Amethyst had knelt before one of Rose's many portraits. This wasn't something she did often. It was such a Pearl thing to do that she almost felt silly. Nevertheless, Amethyst had knelt before the beautiful image of their long-gone leader and made a silent promise: _I'll keep him safe._

Garnet's words came back to Amethyst. The words Garnet had spoken to Amethyst alone.

“ _Catching Jasper is our number one priority.”_

“ _But what about Steven?”_ Amethyst had asked.

Garnet had paused, as if she wasn't sure if her next words were going to come off the way she wanted them to. But in the end she'd taken a chance. They'd all been taking chances since Rose Quartz left them. Something had grown between them. Not mistrust exactly, but something close enough to make them all nervous. They'd become just a bit too disconnected from each other and unaware of their personal motives.

“ _Steven will be fine,”_ Garnet had said. _“Just focus on Jasper.”_

Amethyst wanted to. She always tried to do what Garnet said was best, because Rose had believed in Garnet more than any of them. But Garnet couldn't be correct all the time, right? There had to be moments—maybe even critical moments—in which Garnet was taking a shot in the dark. What Amethyst had to believe was that this wasn't one of those moments.

“We'll be there soon,” said Peridot.

She paused.

“I'm worried about him too,” she said.

It wasn't much, but Amethyst suddenly felt a little better. She also felt slightly worse, but that might have been the protein bars.

 

* * *

 

 

Steven pressed himself against the wall. He liked to think they were sneaking around, but he knew they were both too noticeable for that. They were actually just moving slowly and hoping Aquamarine didn't pounce on them. She shouldn't have been much of a problem, but Steven knew she wouldn't hesitate to use that wand thing of hers on either of them.

“The escapes pods should be down here,” Topaz said.

She wasn't whispering and Steven had given up on reminding her that they were supposed to be quiet. He didn't really care how loud she was, provided they made it to the escape pods without Aquamarine jumping out at them.

They came to a door that apparently led to the room with the escape pods. There were three tear-shaped gemstones on the door. Topaz dragged her finger from one to the other, forming a specific shape between them.

Steven peered around Topaz and frowned at the door. Hadn't he seen those tear-shaped gemstones somewhere else?

“Did you get this ship from the Lapis Lands?” he said.

Topaz turned to Steven as the door slid open, bemused at the weird question. She didn't think much about where their tech came from. Aquamarine herself didn't seem to care as long as it worked. And Topaz wasn't particularly into Gem tech, so stuff like that never entered her mind.

“Aquamarine said it was a gift,” she said.

Steven frowned. So Lapis Lazuli was friendly with Aquamarine or at least on decent terms. Could Lapis have...? No, she wouldn't. Would she? Maybe the tear-shaped gemstones were a coincidence and Steven was looking too far into it.

Steven and Topaz stepped into what looked like some kind of engine room. It was filled with even more incomprehensible Gem tech.

“Where are the escape pods?” said Steven.

Topaz started to point, but she was distracted by something. She stared over Steven's head, a look of horror flitting across her face. A second later, her features had returned to that soldierly blankness Steven hadn't seen in a while. Her posture became stiff and imposing, her eyes losing that playful bliss and kindness.

Steven whirled around just as the door slid shut, sealing the two of them into that cramped engine room. Well, _three_ of them. Someone else had joined the party when Steven wasn't looking.

Aquamarine was a lot better at sneaking than either of them. She'd managed to slip inside the room without Steven seeing her. It probably had something to do with the fact that she was flying. Flight likely gave her an advantage when it came to stealth. And judging by the look on her face, stealth was exactly what Aquamarine had intended.

She was smirking. Aquamarine waited a little while before speaking. She seemed to know that she had cornered Steven and was therefore in complete control of the situation. If there was an upper hand to be had in that confined space, Aquamarine had seized it. She was standing right in front of the door, wand pointed almost lazily in Steven's direction.

“Clever,” she said. “Very clever. I'm almost impressed.”

She laughed.

“ _Almost,”_ she said. “I mean, you didn't actually _escape.”_

She moved forward, wand still pointed at Steven.

“Oh, but you tried,” she said. “You tried. I suppose you want a lollipop or something.”

Steven backed away as far as he could, pressing his back against a control panel of some kind. He up his hands, surrendering. Not that he needed to, seeing as Aquamarine was holding all the cards.

“You don't have to do this,” said Steven.

Aquamarine paused as if she was actually considering Steven's words. Then she shrugged.

“Maybe not,” she said. “But you know what? I think I'll do it anyway.”

She pointed her wand right at Steven's chest and activated it.

Steven found himself paralyzed. He froze with his mouth slightly open and his hands raised. He tried to summon his shield, but his gem didn't so much as give a faint glow in response to his silent plea. Steven was trapped, his body outlined in a light glow originating from the tip of Aquamarine's wand.

Aquamarine laughed.

“Sorry, Rose Quartz,” she said. “Or Steven or whatever your name is. You won't be getting away from me.”

She tilted her wand upward, lifting Steven up in the air. Aquamarine frowned in disgust. Other than the gem in his belly, Steven really did look completely human. His ability to look the part was uncanny. He could have blended in.

“I thought you'd be bigger,” she said. “I thought you'd be a challenge.”

She sighed in frustration.

“Just my luck,” she said. “I'm face-to-face with the greatest weapon Gemkind has ever seen and you're not even offering me a challenge. So _boring.”_

She returned Steven to the ground, rolling her eyes. Most of her targets at least put up a fight. Steven was being remarkably dull. Aquamarine almost wanted to let him escape, just so she could have fun chasing him. But with what little challenge Steven had given her, she wasn't really in the mood.

“There's still time for you to start playing nice,” she said.

Topaz stepped forward, putting herself between Aquamarine and Steven.

Steven was suddenly able to move again. He immediately bent forward and grabbed his knees. He felt like the room was spinning a little. Utter paralysis was something Steven could have gone without experiencing. He was relieved to notice that his heart was still beating normally.

Aquamarine gave Topaz a look of impatience.

“Get out of my way,” she said.

Topaz shook her head.

“I think we should..,” she started.

But Aquamarine interrupted. She aimed her wand at Topaz, but she didn't seem eager to use it.

“You _think?”_ she said. “I don't remember asking you to _think.”_

Topaz looked at the wand, then returned her gaze to Aquamarine's face. She saw no mercy or empathy. But mercy and empathy weren't really Aquamarine's style. She was more of the cold and crass type. That was why Topaz was trying to choose her words carefully, even though she knew it didn't matter.

“Steven's a good person,” she said. “He needs to get back to his friends and...”

But Aquamarine cut across her again. This whole interrupting Topaz thing was starting to grate on her. Twice in one day was simply unacceptable.

“I don't care what kind of person he is,” she said. “You know the rules. We capture him, we bring him in, we collect the reward. Is that so hard to get through your thick skull?”

Steven spoke up. Topaz and Aquamarine had almost forgotten him, as he was almost completely concealed behind Topaz's back. But he suddenly reminded them of his presence as he spoke, stepping around Topaz so he could face Aquamarine himself.

“I don't want to fight,” he said.

He had something in his hand. As Aquamarine watched incredulously, he pointed the item in her general direction like he was brandishing a sword. The effect was ruined by the fact that it was several times smaller than a sword. It was one of Connie's daggers. He hadn't given it back to her. Yet another reason to get back to his friends as soon as possible. Steven had so many apologies to make.

Aquamarine pointed her wand at the dagger, smirking. She didn't look the least bit threatened by Steven's little toy.

“And what are you going to do with that?” she said.

Steven closed his eyes for a second, then reopened them and fixed Aquamarine with a look of regret. He didn't want it to have to be this way, but finding Jasper and saving the Quartz Kingdom came first. And maybe sometime along the way, he might unravel this mystery he'd stumbled into.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “Really.”

Holding the dagger with both hands, Steven quickly spun away from Aquamarine. With a cry, he plunged the blade into the control panel. Relief flooded his entire body as the dagger sank into its target, sparks exploding from the point of impact. The spiderweb of symbols flickered, the screen above it turning to static as Steven forced the blade all the way up to the hilt.

Aquamarine screamed in anger, her face twisting into an expression of absolute rage. As Steven had suspected, she really did adore her precious ship. Seeing it injured was probably more grievous to her than if Topaz had been poofed right before her very eyes.

“What the hell do you think you're doing, you disgusting little troll?” she shouted.

She raised her wand, but Topaz acted first. One of her enormous hands sailed through the air and hit Aquamarine like she was a persistent moth. The force of the blow knocked the wand out of Aquamarine's hand and sent her flying towards a nearby wall. This physical act of rebellion might have stunned Aquamarine more than the blow itself.

While Aquamarine recovered, Topaz kicked the wand across the room. She then slammed her foot down onto a particular discolored floor tile. She stepped back as a circular escape pod sprang up.

Good thing Topaz acted, because the ship seemed to realize it was damaged. Either that or something else had gone wrong that had nothing to do with them. Regardless of the cause, the ship was clearly having trouble keeping it together. Bad news for all of them.

With little hesitation, Topaz sprang forward and grabbed Steven. She threw him over her shoulder as she had done before, this time even less gently. Muttering an apology for being so rough, she opened the door of the escape pod. The pod was just big enough to fit both of them.

“No!” Aquamarine said.

She sprang towards her wand, almost diving into the side of the escape pod in her haste.

Topaz squeezed herself into the escape pod with Steven and shut the door behind them. She fiddled with the interface for a second, then smiled as the interior of the pod lit up. Aquamarine likely believed Topaz had just been watching all those years, stoic and disinterested. Little did she know that Topaz had picked up a few tricks.

Aquamarine finally got to her wand, but it was far too late. She whirled around and aimed it at the escape pod. Or rather she aimed it at where the pod should have been. She cried out in frustration when she saw that a portion of the floor had given way. The pod was rapidly descending, completely out of her reach. And to make matters worse for her, Aquamarine's precious ship was throwing a fit.

“So rude,” she said.

She wanted to go after the pod, but her ship demanded immediate attention. That was fine. She could deal with Topaz and Steven later. She _wanted_ to deal with them later. Aquamarine wanted to see the looks on their faces when she showed up again, wand in hand. She wanted to see the hope drain from their faces when they noticed how difficult it was to get rid of her.

But first the ship. She had to deal with the ship.


	17. Islands

Connie clung to Lion's mane. She was frowning, her thoughts fluttering restlessly around her skull. She had to shout to be heard as Lion sprinted across the water.

“So they think Steven's some kind of weapon?” she said.

She thought of the Steven she knew: kind, empathetic, goofy. When she thought of him, the words “cinnamon roll” came to mind. “Weapon” was so far off the mark that she almost laughed.

Centipeedle nodded. She was sitting behind Connie, her arms wrapped firmly around the girl's waist. Good thing Lion was big enough to fit two. Centipeedle insisted on leaving the island with Connie, even though she'd told her almost everything of importance. Connie didn't mind. She liked the company.

“Something like that,” she said.

Connie shook her head, but she wasn't dismissing Centipeedle's story. It did kind of explain everything. It also raised a thousand more questions. If anyone was going to close this case, she seemed like the best choice for the job. But Steven first. Always Steven first.

“I can't believe this,” said Connie. “I always thought the Quartz Kingdom was so...”

She stopped. So _what?_ United? Peaceful? No, those weren't the words Connie was looking for. Idyllic? Maybe not that exactly, but it was closer to the mark. Even as close to the inner workings of the kingdom as she was, Connie had always seen it as some kind of semi-utopia. But someone had peeled back the bubbly exterior, revealing something grimy and revolting. Maybe the Quartz Kingdom had never been anything close to a utopia.

“There's a lot you don't know about Gems,” said Centipeedle.

Connie fixed her gaze on the ocean ahead. Centipeedle was right. There was so much she didn't understand. But that was going to change. Connie couldn't promise herself much, but she silently vowed to uncover the truth. The full truth. For her sake, for Steven's sake, and most of all for the sake of the kingdom she had vowed to protect.

Centipeedle pointed at something.

“Is that another island?” she said.

Connie leaned forward a little and squinted into the distance. It took her a second, but she saw something far in the distance. To her it just looked like some kind of hulking mass, but it might have been an island.

As the hulking thing got closer, Connie stared in surprise. It definitely was an island of some sort, but it didn't look like any island she'd ever seen. It looked far too round and was shining slightly in the late morning sunlight.

“Is this an artificial island?” said Connie.

Now that they were even closer, Connie remembered something from her years of studying Gem history.

“A _Gem-made_ artificial island?” she said.

She'd read about those, but most of the information came from footnotes and illustrations. From what Connie knew, there had once been some kind of massive project to create thousands of these artificial islands. None of the books mentioned their original purpose or why the plan never came to fruition. But apparently the plan _had_ come to fruition, at least in this one particular case.

Lion finally reached the shore. He crouched down, allowing Connie and Centipeedle to dismount.

Connie patted the ground with her foot. It didn't feel like dirt or sand. That made sense, as it was neither. It was some kind of alien material, light enough to float but sturdy enough to stand on.

Despite there being no actual ground, there were some trees and plants. Connie didn't recognize any of them. Curious but cautious, she approached one of the trees and pressed her hand against its sturdy bulk. It was strangely cold to the touch. Not a real tree. It seemed to be just for show. But why would anyone go to the trouble?

“Steven?” Connie shouted.

No answer. If he was on this island, he wasn't nearby.

“Who built this place?” Connie mused aloud.

Suddenly wary, she looked around. The place looked deserted, but how could she be sure? No one would go to the trouble of creating an artificial island and just abandon it. This was some seriously advanced Gem tech. Yet at the same time, the place wasn't cloaked or otherwise hidden from the naked eye. It was simply floating there, as if it had been forgotten.

Centipeedle brushed a hand against a massive leaf hanging from one of the fake trees. It felt real, but also somewhat off. It was too solid and flawless in design to be an actual leaf.

“The Agate Empire,” she said.

Connie had stuck out a hand to touch another tree. She abruptly yanked her hand back as if it had been burnt. She whirled to face Centipeedle, her face filled with suspicion.

“How do you know?” she said.

Centipeedle met Connie's suspicious gaze with a smile.

“Holly Blue Agate wanted to make thousands of these artificial islands,” she said. “She thought they would be the perfect habitats for humans and Gems to coexist.”

Connie immediately felt terrible about being suspicious. Of course Centipeedle knew things that she didn't. And of course Centipeedle didn't feel the need to tell Connie everything she knew all at once. But at this point, Connie felt she had to be wary of anyone withholding information. She really had to shake that dangerous mindset and accept that Centipeedle could be trusted.

“Holly Blue likes humans?” said Connie.

Centipeedle laughed.

“Not at all,” she said. “She thought of the islands more as giant cages. Self-sustaining and isolated. She stole the idea from Pink Diamond.”

Centipeedle and Connie advanced deeper into the island. They passed the tree line and stepped underneath a canopy of artificial foliage. The further they went into the island, the darker it became. The trees steadily became thicker, the plants pressing closer on all sides. It was like they were walking into a steadily shrinking cage.

Even though she wasn't claustrophobic, Connie was glad she wasn't alone. If she'd been by herself, she likely wouldn't have had the guts to explore. She knew that was silly—she was training to become a _knight_ after all—but there was something so unnerving about this fake island. Even the air felt just the slightest bit off, like it too was being fabricated for their benefit. Connie was relieved to hear Lion following behind them. Strength in numbers.

“So there's more of these?” said Connie.

It was getting even darker, the plants and trees rapidly closing in. Connie was having trouble seeing ahead of her. Every step seemed to decrease her visibility, the darkness swallowing the world inches at a time. Connie wanted to turn back, but she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword. The feel of it—the sturdiness, the smoothness—gave her the boost she needed to keep going.

Centipeedle seemed less concerned, probably because Gems never developed that common childhood—and adulthood—fear of the dark. But she had gone into pre-attack mode. She looked ready to strike if anyone or anything dared jump out at them.

“Only one,” she said. “Holly Blue decided it wasn't worth the resources.”

Connie stuck out her hand. She could barely see a foot in front of her face, but she sensed the path they'd been on—if it could even be called a path—had ended. She was standing right in front of something, something large and completely covered in darkness. A building? Some kind of ship? Connie leaned forward slightly and her hand touched something, something cold and smooth. A door?

She didn't have time to speculate, because whatever it was seemed to vanish at her touch. Connie cried out as she fell forward, stumbling over the threshold and into an entirely new environment. So it _was_ a door. A very dick-ish one that had chosen the worst possible time to open. Connie had to grab the door frame to avoid falling on her face. It wasn't a particularly knightly position. In fact, it was downright awkward.

“What the _flip?”_ Connie burst out.

It was the closest she'd ever come to blurting out a swear word. But she doubted even her strict mother would have given her hell for the colorful language. Given the circumstances, Connie thought she'd earned it. Connie was starting to feel like all the worst parts of being an adult.

The room she'd walked—well, _fallen—_ into looked like an observatory, minus the telescope. The ceiling consisted of interlocked glass tiles, revealing the pleasant morning sun. It was kind of nice, although entirely unexpected.

She placed her hand on the hilt of her sword as she advanced into the room. She didn't feel the least bit uneasy about this place. If anything, she felt almost overly serene. There was something so peaceful and secluded about this place, like it was her own private chunk of the world. But rather than easing her into a sense of security, Connie's guard sprang up. She still felt blissful, but she wouldn't allow herself to completely relax.

By contrast, Centipeedle seemed utterly carefree. She was looking around with casual interest, her gaze moving from blank wall to blank wall. The place was very well-concealed. Impossible to see from the shore due to the arrangement of the trees and situated at the end of what was essentially a tunnel of darkness. Even the entrance was invisible to the naked eye.

“Someone could hide here,” she said aloud.

Connie hesitated, the hand on her sword hilt shaking. _Someone._ Why did that word sound so ominous to her? Maybe because there was a specific _someone_ that immediately popped into her head. But that particular someone couldn't be on that island, right? Surely if Jasper had so much as breathed near this place, Garnet or Pearl or whoever would have captured her. And Jasper wouldn't be dumb enough to hide in a place so closely related to the Agate Empire.

But then Connie remembered just how hidden this island and by extension this base was. No one had set foot on these artificial shores in a long time, maybe hundreds of years. And this base had to have some serious Gem tech stashed behind those closed doors. Gem tech someone like Jasper could have taken full advantage of. In theory, a trained soldier like Jasper would have deemed this island the perfect hideout.

“Steven?” Connie shouted.

She unsheathed her sword, her hands quivering and her heart beating in time with her scurrying thoughts. One thought came barreling to the front of her mind, propelling her dangerously close to full-on panic. She was considering how Lion had brought them there, how he clearly knew where to find Steven. Connie was thinking about what Pearl had said about Jasper. If Jasper had Steven....

“Steven?” Connie shouted again.

She charged through the nearest door. It was a good thing it slid aside at her approach. If it hadn't, she would have beat it down with her bare hands.

 

* * *

 

 

Steven was getting tired of Topaz's questions. Ever since they'd fully escaped from the ship, she'd been battering him with queries about his gemstone, his past, and certain aspects of his personal life.

Steven hadn't minded in the beginning, because he thought the silence would be worse. But these past few hours had been entirely filled with Topaz prying into every corner of his life. And worst of all, Steven couldn't answer a lot of her questions. Talking to her made him realize that he knew very little about himself or his powers.

“And you've _never_ met another human like you?” Topaz asked for the fourteenth time.

And for the fourteenth time, Steven shook his head. He didn't think Topaz understood how alone and lost that question made him feel. Of course it was—in a sense at least—better for her. Topaz had probably met a lot of Topazes in her life. But Steven was never going to meet another Steven, a fact he'd come to grips with very early in his somewhat extraordinary life.

Topaz had assigned herself the task of steering their escape pod. Granted, “steering” wasn't the word Steven would have used. She was definitely fiddling with the interface a lot, but the pod didn't seem to do much even when she was moving things around.

They were traveling steadily in one direction, the pod seeming to bob on the water. Neither of them knew where they were. “Somewhere where there's nothing” was the best Topaz could come up with when Steven dared ask for a guess.

“Where were you and Aquamarine going to take me?” Steven said.

Topaz shrugged.

“Oh, she never tells me stuff like that,” she said.

Steven sighed. For a minute, he'd believed it would be that easy. But of course not. Hadn't he learned anything? Getting answers was always impossible when Steven really needed or wanted them.

Topaz looked at Steven like she still had a thousand questions to ask him. It was hard not to look at Steven. Not just because he was the most interesting person she'd ever met, but also because of how tiny the escape pod was. Big enough for both of them, but it was the definition of a cramped space. It was a miracle that Topaz could even more her massive arms, let alone that Steven didn't risk being crushed every time he dared shift position.

“You don't look like a weapon,” said Topaz.

Steven looked down at his body, then lifted his head to stare at Topaz.

“I'm not,” he said. “I'm just _me.”_

Whatever that meant, it had to be better than being called a “weapon”.

To his surprise, Topaz seemed moved by this. She wiped a tear from her eye, regarding Steven like he was an inspiration. Steven found it weird that this Gem who was probably thousands of years old looked at him like he was supposed to be a role model. Steven felt pressured by the implication that he was meant to be a figurehead or mentor of any kind.

“I'm sorry,” said Topaz. “You remind me of Topaz and Topaz. When Topaz first fused with Topaz, that's one of the first things Topaz said to Topaz. I'm a fusion. I'm _me.”_

She touched the gems on either side of her head and smiled.

“I'm _me,”_ she repeated.

Steven's arm was pinned to his side, but he managed to wiggle it out. He gently placed it on Topaz's massive shoulder, returning her smile. He could never understand what it was like to be a fusion and the hardships Topaz might have faced. But he did understand where she was coming from. And even though their situations weren't exactly alike, being with her was making him feel a little less alone.

“And that's great,” he said. “We can both just be ourselves.  And for however long we're here, we'll have each other.”

Sobbing with happiness, Topaz tried to give Steven a hug. She couldn't quite manage it in the cramped space—plus she was worried about squishing him out of excitement—but they did arrange themselves in something akin to an affectionate embrace.

When they let go of each other, Steven realized that he was crying too. They both grinned through their tears, amused at each others' level of emotion. They both paused to wipe the tears from their eyes. For one wonderful moment as the world became less blurred, they forgot that they were in a tiny escape pod in the middle of the ocean.

Neither of them had a destination in mind. Well, other than _land._ It was late at night and Steven was starting to feel the effects of not having eaten in a while. And both of them were getting sick of what little space they had to move.

“So what did Aquamarine say about my mom?” said Steven.

He'd been annoyed before, but now he realized the value of conversation. As long as they talked, he didn't have to think about his friends looking for him. He didn't have to dwell on the very real possibility of Aquamarine catching up with them. And most importantly, Steven didn't have to let his brain fill with the incoherences of his life.

Topaz seemed as happy to answer questions as she was to ask them.

“Oh, everyone knows about Rose Quartz,” she said. “Most Gems were terrified of her. She was Gemkind's greatest enemy.”

Steven tried to picture his mother as Gemkind's greatest enemy, but all he could see was those bouncy pink curls that looked so much like his own curly hair. He could see certain Gems being terrified of Rose Quartz, but “Gemkind's greatest enemy”? That was kind of hard to swallow.

“Was she?” said Steven.

He was a bit scared of the answer. Because if Rose Quartz really was Gemkind's greatest enemy, what did that make him? Maybe he _was_ a weapon. Perhaps he was the sword someone was intended to wield in their quest to either destroy or take over all the other Gem settlements. Steven wished his mother—or at least some shred of her—was alive to tell him he was being silly.

“Well, she did shatter Pink Diamond,” said Topaz.

Steven was about to ask if Aquamarine had known Rose Quartz personally, but he froze. He hadn't really processed Topaz's words at first. He'd let them rattle around in his brain for about a second while he formulated his follow-up question.

But then Steven stopped, giving Topaz's words time to land. He stared at her, searching her eyes for some hint of _something._ Maybe a flicker of humor, like she was playing a sick joke. Or maybe a trace of hesitance, like she wasn't sure about what she was saying. But Steven saw none of that.

“Shattered?” Steven said.

His brain hung on that word. Even though he could barely move in the confined space, Steven managed to lift his shirt a little and clutch at his gemstone. He could feel that subtle pulse that sometimes emanated from it, like a heartbeat. Steven liked to think it was whatever was left of his mother's consciousness reaching out to him and telling him everything was going to be alright. But not this time. This time that pulse felt cold, even malicious.

“But why would she do that?” he said.

Topaz hesitated. She appeared to realize that she'd upset Steven, but she wasn't sure how to remedy the situation. At a loss, she decided to just answer his question.

“To take over the Diamond Republic of course,” she said. “Not that it worked. The Diamond Republic just dissolved on its own.”

Steven's head spun. He'd in equal parts imagined Rose Quartz as a trailblazing rebel and a figure of empathy. But no matter how he thought of her, he'd always considered her on the side of justice, even if her decisions weren't always obvious or clear. But this was something else. It was something Steven wished he didn't know.

But the idea wasn't the worst part. No, the worst part was that Steven actually believed it. Steven didn't know if he believed it had been part of a bid to seize power, but he didn't doubt that Rose Quartz had shattered Pink Diamond. He knew it to be true, as surely as if he'd been there.

And as Steven placed a hand on his gemstone, he realized that, in a way, he _had_ been there. Steven was his mother now, wasn't he? All of her crimes were now his crimes. Pink Diamond's shards were in Steven's hands.

Topaz turned her attention to the interface. She wanted to say something to Steven, but she could tell he was in a bad place. Best to leave him alone.

Steven's brain had marooned him on an island. From where he sat in the sand, he could see no sign of civilization. Just water in all directions, cutting off his escape. Forcing him to stay on this island within his own head, surrounded by thoughts and feelings Steven could have done without.

Steven didn't know Rose Quartz. He didn't know her at all. And until he understood her, he was going to be stranded on that island. Alone, sad, confused. Forever searching for a truth that might be somewhere in that vast ocean.


	18. Stripes

Topaz nudged Steven's shoulder.

“Are you alive?” she said.

Steven jerked awake at her touch and the sound of her voice. He didn't remember falling asleep. The waking world had melded with the dream world, creating a surreal kind of not-reality. Less than a second ago, he'd been staring out the escape pod's window and watching the night sky. Stars had winked at him from overhead, shifting and throbbing the longer Steven stared at them. And then he'd been leaning over and watching his own reflection in a pond. As he jolted back into reality, he realized he'd been having another one of his weird dreams.

“Yes, I'm alive,” he said. “I was just sleeping.”

Topaz sighed in relief.

“Oh good,” she said. “I mean, your gem was okay and everything, but you weren't talking and...”

She gave him a worried look.

“Are you sure you're alive?” she said.

Steven laughed and nodded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Unfortunately, the nap hadn't done much in regards to his mental state. He was sure Rose Quartz had been in his dream. He wasn't sure in what capacity, but he remembered flashes of her smiling face. But Steven was glad he'd been able to fall asleep in this cramped escape pod.

“Are we there yet?” he said.

It was still night. He hadn't been asleep for too long. Maybe less than an hour.

Topaz excitedly pointed out the window. They were there, by which Steven meant on land. Not familiar land by any stretch of the imagination, but land. That was all Steven cared about. He wanted to get the hell out of that escape pod and hopefully to either a bed or a chair. He wanted something normal.

Topaz fiddled around on the interface for a moment. The escape pod opened like an egg, spilling them both onto the ground. Steven was so relieved to be free of the inadequately sized pod that he didn't even register the pain as he hit the ground. He felt as if he'd been liberated from an even smaller prison.

Steven looked around. It looked like a normal enough island. Trees, some plants, and nothing too important. But the sand didn't feel like sand. It felt more like the floor Steven had slept on in his cell. And even in the darkness, Steven noticed something rather off about the trees around him. Something too perfect, designed rather than part of the natural growth pattern.

“Is this a ship?” he said.

He got to his feet. Steven was happy to be back on land, but he was starting to become wary. This clearly wasn't an island. It was doing a decent job of pretending, but there was something artificial about it that gave the game away. But who would go the trouble and why? The artificialness combined with the fact that they were clearly the only ones around was making Steven very uncomfortable.

Topaz struggled to her feet, looking around with a mixture of curiosity and astonishment.

“An artificial island,” she said. “Aquamarine talked about them sometimes, but I had no idea they were real.”

She focused on the trees in front of them, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“I wonder if there's somewhere we can go sailing,” she said.

Steven started to the tree line. He didn't want to traverse any deeper into this weird fake island, but he had little choice. If there was something useful to be found within the trees, Steven had to at least try to find it. Other than the escape pod—and Steven didn't know how much further that tiny thing would take them—they had nothing. And if Steven could avoid stuffing himself into that inadequately-sized escape pod again, he was ready to be courageous.

“Only one way to find out,” he said.

He touched the hilt of Connie's dagger. Well, they did have one thing besides the escape pod. But how much difference was a dagger going to make?

Topaz followed behind Steven. At least she was significantly less scared. Her presence gave Steven confidence. He wasn't throwing himself into the unknown. He was throwing both himself and Topaz into the unknown.

Steven had felt a little claustrophobic in the escape pod. But as him and Topaz advanced into the trees, he found himself feeling even more claustrophobic by comparison. Maybe it was the threatening combination of darkness—he could have sworn it was becoming pitch black the deeper they went—and the trees seemingly closing in around them. Steven could barely see a few feet in front of him. He had to hold his hands out before him to assure he didn't crash into something.

He jumped when he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders. After a second of pure terror, he realized that it was Topaz. She had grabbed him so abruptly that she nearly lifted him off the ground. She was hunched over a little as they walked together, attached in a way that would have seemed absurd in the daylight.

“Is this a good idea?” said Topaz.

Steven couldn't see a single thing in the darkness. He wanted to turn back, but they'd come too far. The thought of going back somehow scared him more than the idea of continuing down this pitch black tunnel.

“We'll be fine,” he said. “I have my shield.”

He was reassuring both her and himself. Steven wasn't sure he could even count on his shield. It wasn't like they'd see anything coming.

Even expecting and desiring it, Steven almost jumped out of his skin when his hand touched something. At first he thought it was a tree. But as he explored it with his hands, he slowly realized it was something altogether different. A door? If so, was it locked? Steven gave it an experimental push.

The door opened abruptly. Steven jumped back, crashing into Topaz. Before they could freak out too much, a silverly light spilled out from the doorway. Having been robbed of light for what seemed like an age, they both stumbled towards it like they'd been hypnotized. The door shut behind Topaz.

Steven stared up at the transparent tiles that made up the roof. The room before them was filled with the silvery glow of moonlight, illuminating a place not unlike an abandoned observatory. How had they not seen this from the shore? Was it just the way the trees were arranged? The thought worried Steven. If this place had been intentionally hidden, its owner probably wouldn't be too glad to see them.

“It's so big,” said Topaz.

It wasn't the first word Steven would have used, but he nodded. It was certainly massive. And despite the lack of furniture, it looked important. Some kind of sanctuary constructed on an artificial island. But for whose benefit?

Steven approached one of the doors. He didn't see any signs of a lock. Following a gut feeling, he pressed his hand against the door. As he'd expected, it slid open at his touch. Steven peered into a brand new room, curious to see the rest of this enormous building.

This room was a lot smaller. More of a closet than a room. The walls were covered with shelves. The shelves themselves seemed to be stuffed with what Steven assumed was old Gem tech. The person—probably Gem—who lived there seemed to be quite the hoarder. Steven spotted what looked like a miniature version of their escape pod.

He crossed the threshold and grabbed the mini escape pod off the shelf. It didn't look exactly like their escape pod. It lacked the stubby little “fins” that had propelled them through the water. There was some kind of lock on the top of it. Steven noticed the intricate shape. This wasn't an ordinary Gem lock.

Steven noticed something that had been lying next to the miniature escape pod. It looked to be a letter. Although he wasn't in the habit of reading others peoples' mail, Steven was too curious to resist. Still holding the mini escape pod thing, he picked up the letter and read through the first paragraph.

_I didn't mean for this to happen_ , it read. _I didn't want to hurt you. But I also didn't want you to get hurt. It was all a mistake, okay? I can never make it up to you. There's nothing I can do to make this right. But please believe me when I say that I'm sorry._

Steven's gaze wandered down the remainder of the page. He noticed an odd series of numbers and letters at the end of the page. Confused but deciding it was irrelevant, Steven put the letter back and returned his attention to the pod.

Topaz had come into the room without Steven noticing. She looked fascinated by the sheer array of Gem tech crammed into that small room. She was no expert, but she could tell someone had been scavenging as if their life depended on it. There were bits of ships, some odds and ends that looked remarkably old, and a lot of stuff Topaz didn't recognize from any particular place.

She turned to ask Steven if he'd ever seen anything this amazing. When she saw he was busy, she came up behind him and peered over his shoulder. Topaz frowned at the weird object in Steven's hands. She put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to nearly jump out of his skin again. Topaz pointed at the symbol atop the mini escape pod thing.

“It looks like a flower,” she said.

Steven looked more closely at the symbol. His heartbeat increased slightly. How had he missed that? Steven had been so focused on the overall strangeness of the device that his brain had blanked out. But now that he gave the lock a closer look, he saw that the symbol was indeed a flower. In fact, it looked a lot like a rose.

Steven lay his hand across the lock. It could have been a coincidence, but he was sure it wasn't. He'd been seeing roses everywhere lately. Not so much in real life, but in his dreams. Whenever Steven blinked, he'd get a brief glimpse of the symbol that represented the Quartz Kingdom. Whatever was inside this thing, it was connected to Rose Quartz. Maybe it was Steven's destiny.

He traced the outside of the rose with his finger.

“Mom?” he said.

A glow spread outward from the center of the rose, steadily engulfing the orb Steven held in his hands. Startled, he held it away from his body. He could feel it vibrating slightly. His heart rate increased significantly when he realized what was happening.

The orb was about to open. Finally, after all this time, Steven was about to get a good look at his destiny. He was about to find out what and who he was. All his questions were going to be answered. Steven would know everything he needed to know about Rose Quartz.

The orb split open at the middle, the sides slowly folding back. There was something at the very center of the orb. It was suspended there like a phoenix rising from the ashes, bathed in the surreal light that emanated from within its circular prison. It wasn't very big. In fact, it was rather small compared to the orb that had once encased it. But still it shone, glittering and beautiful as it defied gravity. A slender orange gemstone.

Steven touched it lightly with his finger. The rush of excitement was pouring out of him like air from a burst balloon. He really had expected whatever was inside that orb to answer all of his questions. He'd expected some kind of grand magical destiny, some sort of clue as to why his mother had given up her life to have him. But as he stared at this gemstone, Steven realized that he was being childish. There was no destiny. There was no orb filled with answers he could crack open. 

Topaz peered over Steven's head.

“It's a Quartz,” she said.

Steven touched the gemstone again. It was cold to the touch. How long ago had this Gem been poofed? Was she conscious in there, waiting anxiously for someone to come along and free her? Did she even realize where she was? Steven's heart ached for this unknown Gem. He couldn't imagine what it was like to be trapped inside one's own mind, a prisoner without sight or feeling. Magical destiny or not, Steven couldn't doom someone to such an unimaginable fate.

“I'm going to let her out,” he said.

Topaz looked at Steven like he'd lost his mind.

“But we don't know who she is,” she pointed out. “What if she was put in there for a reason?”

Steven legitimately hadn't considered that very likely possibility. Gems weren't just poofed and stuffed into orbs for no good reason. But how could Steven be sure? What if this Gem was simply an unfortunate victim, imprisoned and enslaved by her own consciousness?

“We can't just leave her in there,” said Steven.

He walked out of the junk room and into the main area. Steven had made up his mind. He knew it wasn't the smartest decision, but he had to try. Maybe this was the next step in his quest for answers.

Steven looked over his shoulder and nodded at Topaz. She nodded back, confirming that she had his back. She reached into her right gemstone and withdrew something. It was some kind of weapon similar to a double-ended staff. Steven didn't bother speculating on what it was. He simply hoped she wouldn't have to use it.

He carefully removed the gemstone from the orb and placed it on the ground. The second it was out of his hands, the Gem inside started to reform. He watched as it slowly took shape, the gemstone lifting from the ground as a glowing figure formed around it. This Gem was a lot bigger than Steven had anticipated. When he'd heard “Quartz”, he'd thought of Amethyst. But it occurred to him that Quartzes were probably meant to be much larger and more intimidating. He suddenly didn't like the sound of that.

Steven stepped back, instinctively summoning his shield. His heartbeat was quickening yet again. But he refused to have any regret. No matter who this Gem was, Steven promised himself that he'd done the right thing. Maybe it wasn't what his mother would have done, but he believed in himself.

Then the Gem before him fully took shape. She hunched over, slamming two massive fists against the polished floor. Steven couldn't be sure, but he thought the floor underneath his feet shook. He sensed Topaz shifting her position, clearly ready to attack. Steven wanted to turn around and tell her to wait, but he didn't want to take his eyes off this new Gem.

She was definitely a Quartz. She was much larger than Amethyst, but the hair was a dead giveaway. It was much longer than Amethyst's, but it had the same messy quality. The chest area of her outfit bore a symbol Steven had never before. It was a simple pink diamond that contrasted against her otherwise dark red attire.

The Gem lifted her head. Steven was taken aback by the intensity in her eyes. Even though she'd just woken up from what had probably been a long sleep, she already looked ready to fight. She eyed Steven, confused but clearly prepared to lunge at any second.

Steven was distracted by the sound of Topaz shouting. He whirled around in time to see her charging forward. Before he could protest, Topaz had barreled past him and flung herself at this new Gem.

“No, don't!” Steven said.

But Topaz had swung her weapon, clearly intending it to connect with the side of this new Gem's head. Without missing a beat, the new Gem grabbed the other end of Topaz's two-ended staff before it could ht her. She yanked Topaz close, jamming her foot into the other Gem's chest. The weapon was ripped from Topaz's hand just as the foot connected with her, sending her flying backward. Topaz hit a nearby wall, her impact causing no damage. This place was unexpectedly sturdy. Topaz slid down to the floor and rubbed the back of her head.

“Steven, you need to get out of here,” Topaz said.

Ignoring Topaz's words, Steven put himself between the two of them. He spread his arms, even though he knew full well he couldn't do much. If this new Gem chose to push past him and go charging at Topaz, there wasn't much his frail half-human body could do. Fortunately, even though this new Gem sneered at him and balled her fists, she didn't grab him by the scruff of his neck and fling him into a corner.

“No,” said Steven firmly. “No fighting. We don't have to fight.”

Topaz got to her feet.

“Get away from her,” she said.

Steven didn't move. He was tired of fighting. Wasn't that basically all they'd been doing since his adventure started? Well, Steven was finally sick of it. He was also sick of everyone treating him like he was easily dismissed.

“I'm sure we can work this out,” he said. “We don't have to hurt each other.”

Topaz gestured at the Gem Steven had released from the orb.

“Steven, that's Jasper,” she said.

Steven felt like someone had kicked him straight through the gut. He looked at the Gem standing in front of him more closely, scarcely daring to believe his luck was this bad. But the more Steven looked, the more the truth became undeniable. The build, the gemstone, everything. How had he not recognized her? Had he never seen so much as a picture or an illustration? No, Steven didn't think he had. But still, he felt like he should have known. He felt like he should have paid attention to that subtle feeling of dread in the very back of his heart.

He said the only words that would come to him in that moment.

“We don't have to fight,” he said.

Jasper smirked at him, a wolf-like grin that showed all of her teeth. She was big. So much bigger and scarier than Steven had imagined in his nightmares.

“But I was born to fight,” she said.

With that, she stepped forward and grabbed Steven by the front of his shirt. He didn't even have time to think about summoning his shield. In an instant, he was being lifted up in the air. Steven looked into Jasper's eyes. Her eyes were alive with the thrill of battle, an animalistic aggression burning deep within her pupils. Jasper lived to fight. Jasper lived to win.

With a laugh, Jasper threw Steven aside like he was no more significant than a scrap of paper. And as he hit the floor, that's exactly how Steven felt.


	19. Jasper

So it had finally come. Steven's big showdown with Jasper. Except it wasn't _his_ showdown. Topaz had stepped up to the plate without being asked. He was merely watching from the sidelines, feeling entirely helpless as he observed the battle going on mere feet away from him.

Steven was staring. He'd seen Gems fight before, but he'd never seen a battle between two Gems who were literally built for combat. There was no elegance or restraint to this battle. It was gritty and wild, like watching two trained animals fight. Steven had never seen anything so terrifying in his entire life.

Jasper rushed at Topaz, lowering her head like a bull as a helmet materialized. She became an orange blur streaking across Steven's vision as she charged. Topaz automatically held her mace above her head like she was planning to shatter Jasper's helmet with one immense blow. Before she could bring it down, Jasper had crashed into her. The mace was knocked from Topaz's grip yet again as they were propelled backwards as one. They hit the wall hard enough to have left a mark, but the building once again proved its resilience.

“Stop!” Steven shouted.

He got to his feet. He didn't know what he was doing, but that had never stopped him before. Steven didn't care that he was merely a human made of squishy vulnerable flesh. He ran towards Topaz and Jasper, holding up his hands as if he thought that would be enough to stop them.

Topaz looked dazed, but the impact had had no effect on Jasper. She instantly jumped to her feet and turned to look at Steven. She gaped at him, incredulous and flabbergasted at the sight of this comparatively tiny human running towards her like he thought he was a hero.

But her look of surprise quickly turned into a grin as Steven got closer. Up close, he looked even more pathetic. He was so much smaller than her. Jasper thought for a second that he looked familiar, but she shoved the thought aside. She was too amused by his sheer foolish audacity to think too hard about it.

Steven was about to say something, but Jasper grabbed him again. This time she seized him by the back of his shirt and lifted him to her eye level. Jasper's grin grew wider as she watched him flail uselessly in her grip. If he'd been any smaller, she could have crushed him underneath her boot like an ant. But strangely enough, Jasper didn't really want to do that. She actually kind of liked his completely idiotic display of courage. It was somewhat admirable.

“What are you waiting for, human?” she said. “You gonna poof me or what?”

She laughed as Steven struggled harder against her grip.

“I don't want to poof you,” said Steven. “I just want to talk. Can we talk? Please?”

He searched Jasper's eyes for at least a fleeting glimmer of mercy. But he saw nothing other than years of pent up anger and bitterness. She was grinning, but she was clearly also hurting. Somewhere deep inside, Jasper was in pain. But Steven didn't know why and he doubted she was in the mood for a heart-to-heart.

“You won't even fight me?” she said. “Pathetic.”

She gestured to Steven's body as a whole, a look of disgust on her face.

“Look at you,” she said. “You're so weak. So small. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”

Steven clenched his fists. Random chance had brought him to this island, hadn't it? It wasn't the divine power of some magical destiny or fate. It was just him. Just Steven. He was his own destiny.

“Because...,” he started.

Jasper leaned closer to him, baring her teeth.

“Because?” she said.

Steven took a deep breath, tears springing to his eyes. Clenching his fists even harder, he spoke in a loud voice that bounced off the walls around them.

_“Because I'm Rose Quartz!”_

He didn't intend to shout. But the words just burst out of him, an explosive outpouring of emotion.. Now he understood the truth of them. If Steven wanted to escape this island he'd created in his mind, he was going to have to accept who he was in the grand scheme of things.

Utter shock flitted across Jasper's face, followed by a brief look of confusion. Then an expression of outrage settled upon her face. She let go of Steven, allowing him to fall to the floor. Jasper towered over him, her eyes narrowed in anger as she regarded his much smaller form.

“You're lying,” she said.

But she was starting to notice things. Small insignificant things at first, but soon she was reading every single detail of Steven's features. Even as she tried to counteract what she was seeing with logic, she couldn't deny the resemblance. Even the hair—although not pink—reminded Jasper of Rose Quartz's massive pink curls. Rose Quartz's face was burned into her memory.

“But you're dead,” she said.

Steven lifted his shirt to show her his gemstone.

“She is, but I'm not,” he said.

Topaz started to get up. Steven motioned for her to stay where she was. He could tell she wanted to do something, but she nodded. Topaz remained sitting on the floor, her hand laying protectively over her mace as she watched Jasper.

Jasper fixed her gaze on the gemstone. She could have lied to herself about Steven's resemblance to Rose, but the gem placement was the clincher.

“What happened to you, Rose?” she said. “Why are you using this pathetic form?”

Steven laughed nervously and touched his gemstone. Did everyone really seem him as a downgraded version of Rose? A weaker replacement for the hero and leader they'd lost? Steven supposed that was as good a description as any. Maybe Jasper was onto something.

“It's complicated,” he said. “I know you don't want to talk, but I should explain.”

Jasper balled her hands into fists. For a moment, she was unable to speak. The pure rage that was washing over her had rendered her mute. Steven was fine with that. He had a feeling that she was moments away from trying to pummel him into the ground. When Jasper finally found herself able to speak, the words came out in an emotional tremor.

“All these years,” she said. “All this fighting and planning. And you were alive this whole time?”

A bitter grin took over her face.

“I've got to hand it to you,” she said. “You're one ruthless Gem, Rose. You were waiting for this, weren't you? That's why you sent your little goon to poof me. You wanted to reveal yourself before my execution.”

Jasper dropped to one knee and bowed her head. This hardly made a difference height-wise. She was still much bigger and more intimidating than Steven.

“Well?” she said. “You've bested me. Why don't you do it?”

Steven got to his feet. What would Pearl have done? What would Garnet have done? What would Rose Quartz have done?

“I'm not going to shatter you,” he said. “I'm not like Rose.”

Jasper laughed. Her laughter was hearty and somewhat strained, as if she was pushing aside an immense weight. Her massive shoulders bouncing with mirth, she lifted her head and looked Steven directly in the eye.

“Don't try to manipulate me,” she said. “Do you think I haven't learned anything from the past? You taught me all about manipulation, Rose. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have learned what it means to be completely ruthless.”

Steven dramatically threw up his hands.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” he said. “Look, if you're going to try to poof me or whatever, just do it.”

Jasper gave another one of her hearty laughs. She straightened up so she was towering over Steven yet again. The effect still hadn't worn off. Just looking up at her immense form, Steven knew he was in the presence of a hardened warrior born to take down an army. With Rose Quartz, he'd been able to look into her sweet painted face and see someone who was also motherly and kind. With Jasper, Steven merely saw a lust that could only be satisfied by combat.

“So this is how it really is?” said Jasper. “You're going to take care of me yourself? Admirable. I always knew it would end this way.”

Steven grabbed the sides of his head and shut his eyes. He suspected he was going to get a headache if this kept up.

“What are you talking about?” he demanded. “Who poofed you? Is this about Pink Diamond?”

Wrong question. The second the words were out of Steven's mouth, Jasper's entire demeanor turned completely hateful. She stepped closer to Steven, the height and build difference even more apparent as the distance between them closed. For a moment, Steven was afraid she was going to grab him by the neck and start squeezing the life out of him. But she instead thrust a huge finger in Steven's face, her features twisted with anger.

“Of course it's about Pink Diamond!” she shouted. “Do you think I've ever forgiven myself for what happened? Do you think I don't think about it every day?”

Jasper was crying. Miserable angry tears were falling down her cheeks and pooling at the base of her chin. She didn't just look infuriated. She looked as if she was slowly breaking, but she was trying desperately to keep herself together. It wasn't working. The harder Jasper tried to suppress her emotions, the more explosively they emerged from her. She leaned forward, her eyes shut tightly as if she was in pain.

“Do it,” she said. “Shatter me. Just shatter me.”

This wasn't going at all like Steven had imagined. He'd expected a showdown with a monster. But he was no longer certain who the monster in the equation was supposed to be. His entire world view was collapsing. His belief in the Quartz Kingdom, his theories about his mother, even the trust he had in some of his friends. It was all coming down around Steven's ears. And all it took was meeting the Gem everyone expected Steven to either shatter or poof for the good of the kingdom.

“No,” he said.

He spread his arms.

“I'm not going to shatter you,” he said.

Laughing bitterly, Jasper pressed her hands to her face. As her shoulders heaved, her laughter steadily turned to heavy sobs. What else could she have expected from the ruthless Rose Quartz? Mercy? No, not mercy. Never mercy.

“Of course you won't,” she said.

She uncovered her face. She was no longer sobbing, but the hatred in her eyes remained.

“So be it,” said Jasper.

She closed her eyes for a second as if she was thinking. Then the familiar helmet materialized on her head. Jasper opened her eyes and looked at Steven, baring her teeth in another of her wolf-like grins. Her teeth seemed even sharper than they had been before.

“I'm going to enjoy this,” she said.

She threw her head back as if she was going to start laughing again. But Jasper never got the chance. Before the mirth could begin pouring from her mouth, her expression shifted to one of disbelief. Two massive hands clamped down on either side of Jasper's helmet. She struggled, but their grip was too strong. She cried out in frustration as her head was forcefully bent backwards.

“Forget about me?” Topaz said.

She'd been sitting there in complete silence, allowing both Steven and Jasper to forget she was in the room. Absorbed in their conversation, neither of them had noticed Topaz getting to her feet.

Still holding Jasper by the helmet, Topaz slammed Jasper's head against the sturdy wall. The force of the impact caused Jasper's helmet to shatter, although the wall itself was again unaffected. Clutching the sides of her destroyed helmet, Jasper slid groaning to the floor. She lifted her head, turning a pair of rage-filled eyes towards a stoic Topaz. Normally she could have recovered quickly, but there'd been an unusual amount of power behind that blow. Topaz was a fusion after all. When she needed to, she could summon a strength Jasper could never hope to achieve.

Topaz lifted her weapon again, preparing to strike what could have been the final blow. Just like that, she'd become the emotionless soldier Aquamarine had counted on. Her only concern was finishing the job, regardless of Steven's objections.

Steven charged forward, placing himself in front of Jasper as if his squishy human body might shield her.

“This isn't the way,” he said.

Topaz paused with her mace at the ready. When she spoke, her voice had lost all semblance of emotion. She'd fallen so deeply into her intended role that she'd almost forgotten why she was there in the first place. Not to fight, but to be a friend. She'd followed Steven because she believed in him.

“Get out of the way,” she said. “Jasper is dangerous and must be stopped.”

Steven didn't like Topaz's choice of words. _Stopped_. That sounded so final. Steven didn't want this to be his legacy. He didn't want this to be how he introduced himself as the leader of the Quartz Kingdom.

Bowing his head, Steven summoned his shield. He could feel Jasper staring at him in disbelief and bemusement. Steven didn't care if his actions seemed ludicrous. Everyone wanted him to be Rose Quartz, right? Well, how unfortunate for them. The only person he could be was Steven Universe.

“I won't let you hurt her,” he said.

Jasper spoke incredulously as she regarded the boy standing in front of her. She recognized that tone of voice and that shield. She had been slightly skeptical before, but this was all it took to convince Jasper that Rose Quartz was standing before her. But there was something different about Rose. Not just the body, but something internal that Jasper couldn't put her finger on.

“Rose?” she said.

Steven turned to look at Jasper. He was crying again.

“I didn't mean for this to happen,” he said. “I didn't want to hurt you. But I also didn't want you to get hurt. It was all a mistake, okay? I can never make it up to you. There's nothing I can do to make this right. But please believe me when I say that I'm sorry.”

He still didn't understand the words in the letter. But as he quoted it, Steven could see a shift in Jasper's expression. She went from angry to confused to miserable and finally to defiance in less than five seconds. Steven could only imagine what she must be thinking, but her demeanor had clearly changed.

Jasper hung her head.

“You think I care about your apologies?” she said. “You think I've been waiting all this time just to be told you're sorry, Rose?”

She no longer looked like a hardened warrior facing her greatest enemy. She looked sad and broken, like a teddy bear left in some concealed portion of the garden for years. You could wipe off the dirt, but it would never be the same teddy bear. It would always carry the burden of every single year it had spent there, hidden and waiting patiently to be rediscovered.

“You want me to suffer,” said Jasper. “You want me to submit. But I'll never do either.”

Steven could feel his magic reaching out. He tried to suppress it, but it only grew in strength. Steven wasn't sure what was happening, only that it didn't feel like something good. His shield evaporated as the glow intensified.

Jasper looked around in surprise as her world turned pink. She opened her mouth to protest. But as much as Steven wanted to stop it, his magic seemed to be working on its own. Jasper didn't even have time to move, not that it would have done much good. In less than a moment, the bubble had fully formed around her. She was encased in massive pink orb. She shouted something, but the words just bounced off her circular enclosure.

Steven pressed his hands against the bubble. He shut his eyes and pushed, like he was trying to bust it open with his bare hands. But his magic had apparently decided it didn't need to listen to him. Even pressing his gem directly against the bubble did nothing. Jasper's prison was impenetrable.

“I'm sorry,” he said.

He didn't know if she could hear him, but he hoped the tears in his eyes would be sufficient. Judging by her expression of outrage, she didn't buy that this was unintentional. Helpless, Steven sank down to his knees in front of the massive bubble.

“I didn't want to hurt anyone,” he said.

But Steven was afraid it was too late for that.


	20. Greg Universe

teven took his time explaining to Connie. He wanted to get the story out as quick as possible, but he found himself hesitating at certain parts. Now that the initial conflict had passed, he was feeling a little uncertain about his decisions. Should he have done more? Less?

Topaz had moved Jasper—bubbled and annoyed—to one of the larger storage rooms. She'd wanted to put Jasper somewhere more “secure”, but Steven assured her that there was nowhere safer than his own bubble.

They were all sitting in the larger storage room, Jasper's bubble shoved into a corner near a stack of shelves.

“So what should we do with her?” said Centipeedle.

Steven glanced at the bubble. He hoped Jasper couldn't hear them. He'd been watching her as discreetly as he could while telling his story. Steven couldn't get over how imposing she still looked, despite being literally harmless in her current state. But strangely enough, he wasn't scared of her.

“Take her back to the Quartz Kingdom,” said Connie.

She spoke so decisively that Steven almost nodded in agreement. Connie had been sneaking glances at Jasper as well, but she seemed to lack Steven's sympathy. She felt somewhat robbed. The Quartz Kingdom's biggest enemy had been released and she'd shown up hours late to the showdown. Missing the big fight sort of defeated the purpose of being a knight.

“What are they going to do to her?” said Steven.

He should have been happy that he'd completed his first important mission, but nothing was lining up right.

Rose's sword lay across Connie's lap. She had no particular reason for having it out. She just liked looking at it. It was such a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. A sword worthy of the Quartz Kingdom.

“I don't know,” she said.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. He wanted to trust the Quartz Kingdom, but there were too many half-truths and unanswered questions. In the end, he could only trust himself, Connie, and a handful of others. It pained him to accept this, but Steven had a feeling that Connie had developed a similar state of mind. The people in that large storage room—including Jasper—might be the only ones who could be trusted to tell the whole truth.

“Then we're not taking her back there,” said Steven.

Connie bit her lip, eying Steven with a hesitant expression. She wasn't used to being this uncertain about everything. She wasn't just uncertain about the mission and the events surrounding it. She was beginning to lose faith in herself as a knight. Pearl had trusted her to carry out this mission, yet Connie was having doubts. Knights weren't supposed to have doubts. They were supposed to carry out their tasks with unyielding loyalty to their kingdom.

And perhaps even worse, Connie had failed her secondary mission. She hadn't been able to keep Steven safe. Maybe she wasn't a knight after all. In light of recent events, where was Connie's loyalty meant to lie? Steven or the kingdom? Connie had failed both.

Connie stood up, Rose's sword in hand. The room suddenly felt several times smaller. She didn't consider herself claustrophobic—and really there was no need to be in such a large room—but she was starting to get lightheaded. Maybe it was all the analyzing. She needed a break from her own thoughts.

“I need some air,” she said.

It was one of the few times since she'd begun her training that she actually felt like a teenager. She was a teenager. Underneath the armor, she was still basically a kid. Connie felt like she was a child playing dress-up. Never mind all of her training. Could she really call herself a knight if she had so little faith in those she'd sworn to follow? The question bounced around Connie's head as she quickly left the room.

Centipeedle—the only one who seemed to have achieved peace of mind—smiled at Steven. Out of everyone there, she liked him the most. There was something that made him—if she had to describe Steven—followable. Rose Quartz had been strong and inspiring in her convictions. But Steven was someone altogether different.

Steven put his head in his hands. A long term plan was starting to form in his head, but he was tearing it apart as quickly as he was building it. He knew they were locked into a single course of action: they had to take Jasper back to the Quartz Kingdom. But Steven was still reaching.

Centipeedle reached over and patted Steven on the back. She didn't say anything. Nothing she could think of would have quieted the shouting in Steven's brain.

At the reassuring touch, Steven raised his head and looked at Centipeedle. He was surprised to see the smile on her face, but he returned it. The sight of hers made him realize that he really needed to smile. It didn't raise the hope in his heart, but it was nice to know that he could still smile.

He got to his feet. Topaz and Centipeedle were watching him like they expected him to do something amazing. But Steven didn't feel pressured. He'd been following his heart this entire time, even to the detriment of his friendships. Steven wondered if he should stop and follow his brain for once. No one was forcing him to defend Jasper. He was just doing it because of that pain he'd glimpsed in her eyes.

Steven walked over to the bubble. He sat down in front of it, staring into translucent pinkness. He couldn't believe he'd made something like that. Steven had such little understanding of his abilities that he was starting to feel like his magic wasn't even his. Well, it sort of wasn't.

He lifted his shirt and looked at his gemstone for what felt like the millionth time. He never seemed to get used to it being there. Some days, it felt like a part of him. Other days, it felt like someone had stuck it in his belly button and expected him to just deal with it. Today was the latter.

“Hey Jasper,” he said.

She was staring at him. She didn't look nearly as enraged as she had before, but that was probably because she'd gotten most of it out a while ago. Jasper had given up on slamming her fists against the bubble and shouting objections the others could barely hear. She was now sulking, her arms crossed as if she was waiting for Steven to let her out. The bubble simply wouldn't give and Steven had no idea how to make it dissipate.

“I'm sorry I trapped you in there,” Steven said. “I swear I didn't do it on purpose. I think it was Mom.”

He smiled apologetically, aware that it was a weak excuse that Jasper probably wouldn't understand. Steven wasn't entirely sure it was even a viable excuse, even with the little he understood about his own powers.

“If I could get you out, I would,” said Steven. “Then we could talk and everything would be okay. Right?”

He grinned hopefully. But if Jasper had heard him—and she most likely hadn't—she obviously didn't agree. The intense look of dislike remained on her face. It was clear that if there hadn't been a literal barrier between them, she would have been trying to grind Steven into dust under her foot. But Steven simply didn't understand why and he wished he could ask. How many enemies had Rose Quartz made? How many of them were simply Gems his mother had hurt or wronged?

Centipeedle sat down beside Steven. Jasper's gaze flickered towards Centipeedle as she sat down, but she didn't seem very interested in the other Gem.

“Have you talked to Pearl?” said Centipeedle.

Avoiding Centipeedle's gaze, Steven played with the ring on his finger. He'd completely forgotten about its existence. He seemed to vaguely remember taking it off, but his memories had become somewhat fuzzy. Maybe he'd retrieved it at some point, maybe this was a different ring altogether. Steven didn't know. All the past events were bleeding into each other and he couldn't be certain of the timeline anymore. He couldn't even differentiate between dreams and reality.

“No,” he said.

He knew exactly why he hadn't contacted her. If Steven talked to Pearl, she'd ask questions he couldn't answer. He hated thinking of himself as the kind of person who had to lie or avoid the truth for any reason. But that was what his life had become. Maybe Steven should have stayed at home and left all the heroic stuff to the professionals.

Centipeedle glanced at the ring, then locked eyes with Steven. She again said absolutely nothing, but Steven understood what she was hinting at. He had ample reasons to call Pearl, despite the risks. He'd been putting it off for way too long, pretending everything was fine and they could handle it. But Steven knew he wasn't actually handling anything.

Steven raised the ring to eye level. Taking a deep breath, he finally called Pearl. A split second before he did so, he wondered if he should have headed to a vacant corner of the room or just left entirely. He wasn't certain he wanted to share this conversation with Centipeedle. Steven was going to have a lot of explaining to do and very little of it made him look good.

Topaz was busying herself examining all of the spare parts and bits of Gem tech. She didn't appear to notice what Steven was doing. Steven thought she might be searching for some kind of communication device. He secretly hoped she wouldn't find one. The less contact they had without the world beyond this island, the easier it would be to make decisions.

He wanted a few seconds to compose himself, but Pearl's face immediately appeared on the holographic screen. She looked frazzled in a way that Steven had never expected from someone like her. Even when she was clearly freaking out, Pearl had always managed to remain mostly put together. But when Steven finally saw Pearl after days of no contact, he was shocked by how unraveled she looked.

Steven realized that he had no idea what had been going on in the Quartz Kingdom since he left. Seeing the look on Pearl's face, he began to worry about his father. Gems could take care of themselves pretty well. They had magic and tons of advanced technology. But Greg was even more human than Steven.

“Are you okay?” he said.

Pearl patted the sides of her hair. Her smile was strained and her eyes were tired. Gems didn't need sleep, but she still managed to look like she'd been up for weeks. At the very least, Pearl obviously needed a rest. A rest from what though? That question was tugging at Steven's thoughts as he anxiously waited for Pearl's answer.

“Everything is fine, Steven,” said Pearl. “Everything is completely fine.”

She sounded so unconvinced by her own words that Steven's worry only increased. He wanted to ask again, but Pearl spoke before he could vocalize his fear.

“How are things?” said Pearl. “I trust everything is going well.”

Steven glanced at the massive bubble. His stomach clenched as he imagined the next words he was going to say.

“Everything is fine,” he said.

It wasn't a total lie, right? There was no immediate danger to anyone in the room and Jasper had been captured, so technically everything was alright. But they were both lying, weren't they? That was what made it even worse for Steven. Maybe the truth was more valuable than either of them realized. But they would never know, because they had both started this conversation with the intent to dance around the truth.

“Good, good,” said Pearl.

She was doing a bad job at hiding how distracted she was. That seemed decidedly off to Steven. Given the gravity of his mission, surely this conversation should be her top priority. Yet Pearl seemed to be devoting less than ten percent of her attention to it. What exactly was going on in the Quartz Kingdom?

“Um, I heard something interesting about my mom,” said Steven.

Just as he'd expected, the mention of Rose snatched Pearl's attention. Suddenly her entire focus shifted to Steven and the conversation they were having. She stopped nervously pulling at her hair and letting her eyes wander. She no longer was acting as if she didn't particularly care about what Steven had to say.

“Did you?” she said.

Now she was cautious, even fearful. That was exactly the reaction Steven had expected.

“Did my mom kill Pink Diamond?” he said.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Centipeedle look at him sharply. He could tell that she hadn't expected him to ask that question. But Steven didn't care if Centipeedle thought he should have eased into it. It was his life, his mother, and his destiny. Steven wanted to know what he was getting himself into.

Pearl pressed her hand against her mouth for a second, then started rubbing her temples like she was getting a headache. The reaction was the kind Steven would have expected if he was a child asking her about a noticeably simple math question.

“Oh Steven,” she said. “It's much more complicated than that.”

Steven was angry. There it was again. Someone was casually talking down to him like he didn't understand the weight of his questions. But after everything he'd been through, Steven thought he at least partially understood what he was asking. It was Pearl who was in the dark. If she knew what Steven had discovered and experienced, she never would have talked to him like he was five years old.

“Yes, I know,” he said impatiently. “She shattered Pink Diamond because she wanted to dissolve the Diamond Republic, but it didn't matter because it would have dissolved either way.”

Pearl gave Steven a quizzical look for a moment, but she soon became visibly nervous. She clasped her hands together and looked around, as if she was desperately searching for something to rescue her from this conversation. But when she found nothing, she was forced to lock eyes with Steven.

“Steven, Rose Quartz didn't shatter Pink Diamond,” she said.

She pressed her hand against her mouth and shut her eyes. She trembled for a moment, her hand quivering like she was having trouble processing what she had to say. Then Pearl heaved a deep sigh and slowly opened her eyes. Her face was filled with sympathy, but she wasn't able to look Steven in the eye. She lowered her hand from her mouth and sighed again.

“Jasper,” she said. “Jasper shattered Pink Diamond.”

His blood running cold, Steven looked at the bubble again. He stared into Jasper's eyes. Those were the eyes of a Gem who was used to crushing anything—and anyone—who got in her way. Someone who always followed her orders to the letter. A Gem born to fight. Steven could imagine her doing almost anything.

However, he couldn't imagine her shattering Pink Diamond. He'd seen the look on her face when Pink Diamond was mentioned. That hadn't been the usual look of betrayal. That had been something deeper, something Steven could only vaguely understand. Jasper looked fractured, like she'd been ripped in two a long time ago and she still hadn't found the other piece of herself. That wasn't the look of someone who had shattered Pink Diamond. That was the look of someone whose heart had shredded.

But Steven didn't say any of that. Instead he asked a question that had been patiently sitting in his chest since the beginning of the conversation.

“Can I speak to my dad?” he said. “I'd like to talk to him. Alone.”

Pearl appeared startled by his request. She had obviously expected more of a reaction to that bombshell. She took a moment to recover herself before she answered.

“Of course,” she said.

She disappeared from the screen for a moment. While she was gone, Steven just stared at the empty screen with a blank expression. He wasn't certain of what he was going to do next. He wasn't even certain about what he was going to say to his dad. But there was one thing Steven knew for sure. He'd made up his mind and no one—not even Connie—was going to talk him out of it. No matter what they decided to do next, there was no way he was taking Jasper back to the Quartz Kingdom.

Greg appeared on-screen. The sight of him relaxed Steven in a way he hadn't known he needed. He'd been so wrapped up in all the drama and excitement that he hadn't realized how badly he needed to speak to his dad. Greg might not have been the best father in the world, but he was at least above average in regards to parenting. One look at his face and Steven was suddenly sure that everything was going to be alright.

Contrary to Pearl, Greg looked perfectly fine. He even had a big smile on his face as he laid eyes on his son for the first time in days. Although he looked cheerful enough, Steven could tell the poor guy had been worrying almost non-stop since he left. That made Steven feel slightly guilty. Greg had never asked for his son to be caught up in all this nonsense, but he had passively accepted it because he knew it was the right thing to do. Steven couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for Greg to watch him go.

“Hey buddy,” he said. “Is everything okay out there? Are you coming home soon?”

Steven leaned closer to the screen and whispered.

“Is Pearl there?” he said.

Greg was clearly surprised, but he looked around to confirm that he was alone.

“Um, no,” he said. “She said she had something important to do. Why?”

Any illusion of serenity disappeared from Steven's face. He suddenly looked even worse off than Pearl. He clutched at his hair, panicked and frustrated. Steven hadn't even realized how panicked he was until Greg asked him that question. But now that he fully took in the situation, it was like he was standing on the edge of a cliff with a broken parachute. One strong gust and he'd fall with only the most minuscule hope of survival on his back. Steven didn't want to fall, but the winds at his back were getting stronger and stronger the longer he stood there.

“Everything is _nuts_ ,” he said.

He outlined the entire thing. In his rush to tell his dad everything, Steven forgot to gloss over some of the worst parts. He ended up going into greater detail than he intended, spelling out every single thing that had happened to him in the past few days. He watched as Greg's face grew paler and paler, but Steven couldn't stop himself. It felt so good to just tell the entire truth in one long stream of consciousness. With how fast he was talking, Steven wasn't even sure his dad understood everything he was saying.

By the end of it, Greg was clutching his chest and breathing heavily like he was having a heart attack. It was a whole two minutes before he managed to speak. It was a lot to take in. Just saying it was enough to sap Steven's energy. Hearing it was a whole other story.

“Wow,” was all Greg could say.

Filled with guilt again, Steven forced a smile on his face.

“But I'm okay,” he said. “I promise I'm going to fix all of this.”

He wasn't sure what “this” entailed or how he was going to fix it. He could tell that Greg wasn't buying the reassurance, but he was trying to calm down. Steven hadn't considered how completely awful this all would sound to someone who hadn't been there. Granted, it was awful for those who were there, but as a secondhand account it sounded downright nightmarish.

“What's going on over there anyway?” said Steven. “Did something bad happen?”

Greg sucked in a deep breath to steady himself. His grip on his chest loosened, although his hand was still shaking. When he spoke, his voice had the slightest tremble to it. He wasn't completely calm by any stretch of the imagination, but he was getting there. All he had to do was not think about the kind of predicament his son was in for more than five seconds. So far Greg was failing.

“I don't know,” he said. “I think something happened, but no one will tell me anything. Pearl's really worked up over something. I heard her say something about fusion.”

Steven looked at Centipeedle as if he expected her to have an answer, but she just shrugged at him.

“I have to go,” said Steven.

He smiled, a genuine one. He was sorry he had to cut the conversation short, but Steven was afraid he'd just keep talking for hours. He did plan to contact Greg again as soon as possible. Steven didn't want his dad to worry anymore. Despite how badly Greg was freaking out, the silence was probably worse than anything Steven could have told him.

Greg returned Steven's smile. He trusted his son. He might have been afraid of what the future held for Steven, but he was sure his son could handle it. It wasn't like Steven was facing all of it alone. From what Steven had told him, he had a lot of friends to keep him safe and help him on his way.

“Good luck,” said Greg.

Steven nodded, then he ended the call. He sighed as his hand dropped into his lap. Steven thought he was going to need more than mere luck, but it couldn't hurt. Knowing that Greg was sending good vibes his way made him feel like his entire adventure was worth it. But that was expected. Greg had always supported Steven in whatever he did, be it learning ballet or going on dangerous adventures.

No matter what, Steven was going to return to the Quartz Kingdom. Maybe not with Jasper, maybe not anytime soon. But he was going to return. Steven wanted to see his dad in person.


	21. The Quartz Soldier

Steven leaned his head against the bubble, his eyes half-closed.

How long had he been sitting there? Steven vaguely recalled dozing off, but he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment his eyes had closed. Hours? Minutes? However long he'd been out, Steven felt guilty. His friends were probably working tirelessly while he took a nap. It wasn't fair to them.

Steven was alone with bubbled Jasper. He couldn't recall when everyone had left, only the flimsy excuse he'd given to stay behind. Something about wanting to test the integrity of the bubble. That wasn't entirely a lie, but Steven had a bigger reason for staying in that room. He just couldn't stand the idea of leaving Jasper on her own. She might not have cared, but it occurred to Steven that he was undoubtedly the only person on that island who cared about her.

“I wish we could talk,” said Steven aloud.

He idly brushed his hand against the bubble's smooth exterior. It felt so light, like a well-timed poke could have popped it. But he knew it was more solid than it felt. If he actually pressed his hand against it with the intent to break it, it would be like pushing against a wall.

Jasper shifted her position. Her head was bowed and her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping. But even if she'd needed sleep, there was a rigidness to her position that made it clear she wasn't just dozing off in there. She was thinking.

Steven realized his eyes were closing again. He fought to stay awake at first, but eventually he surrendered. He could hear things happening in the other room. Things that surely didn't involve him or Jasper. He wanted to help, but he accepted that the others probably had some grand plan of their own.

They didn't need him. It was a sad thought, but Steven let it follow him into his dreams.

 

* * *

 

  
Steven opened his eyes. He was lying on his back. It took him a minute, but he finally realized he was lying on something soft. Definitely not the floor. A carpet? It felt fluffy and unfamiliar, but not necessarily unpleasant. It was actually kind of warm.

He sat up, his hands patting the mysterious surface. Steven searched the surrounding area for something he recognized, but he didn't see anything. It wasn't just an absence of furniture. There was literally nothing as far as Steven could see. Just a suffocating darkness surrounding the edges of what appeared to be a fluffy white carpet.

“This is weird,” he commented.

His voice didn't echo. The words tumbled out of him and were absorbed into the carpet. But the longer Steven looked, the less it looked or felt like carpet. It looked more like hair.

Steven got to his feet. Well, obviously he was dreaming. But he couldn't remember the last time he actually realized he was in a dream. Rather than soothing him, this awareness made him wary. Given what his mind had to work with, Steven was terrified of what his imagination could throw at him outside the confines of reality.

He could hear someone talking. Steven squinted into the distance. Was that someone pacing back and forth? He thought he saw a figure, but he couldn't make out any identifying features. He wanted to call out to them, but Steven wasn't sure what kind of response that would prompt. Better to not attract attention to himself in this weird dreamscape. He didn't know if it would make a difference, but better safe than sorry.

Steven started towards the figure. With how real everything felt, he had to keep reminding himself that this was all in his head. The problem was that Steven didn't know if he was having a nightmare or not. It didn't feel like a nightmare, but maybe it was just building up to the scary part. Maybe that figure in the distance was the scary part. But Steven wouldn't know until he got close enough to confront them.

As he got closer, he noticed the way they were dressed. In the exact same moment, he became aware of the figure's size. He almost paused, but he kept heading towards them. It was clear by the clothes and the size that this person wasn't human. It also wasn't Lapis. The size and build were all wrong.

“....think it's fun?” the figure was muttering. “I'll show you fun.”

Steven was finally close enough to see their face. He stopped in his tracks, about two or three feet from the figure. Steven could hear his rapid heartbeat in his ears. He didn't feel like he was dreaming. It felt more like the opposite, what with his heightened awareness of his own bodily functions. He swore he could feel the blood rushing through his veins.

“Jasper?” he said.

She immediately stopped pacing. In what seemed like slow motion, Jasper turned her head to look at Steven.

As her eyes fastened onto him, all Steven could think was that it would be really nice if the floor were to swallow him. He wanted to sink into the softness and forget he'd been dumb enough to open his mouth. Even in a dream—especially one that felt altogether too real for Steven—Jasper was too intimidating. He knew he had even less reason to be scared of her. There was no way she could hurt him in there. But where there's a will, there's a way.

Jasper clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with anger. Steven was certain she wanted to grab him by the throat and break his spine.

“What are you doing in here?” she said.

Steven looked around. He didn't know where here was, so he didn't have an answer for that. At a loss, he shrugged at Jasper. What was he supposed to say? Wherever he was, Steven had no control over any of it. He just wished his brain had dropped him off somewhere less dangerous.

Jasper pressed one massive hand against her forehead and shut her eyes. She shook her head, her shoulders slumping. That made her look slightly less intimidating. And she wasn't trying to shatter every bone in Steven's squishy human body, which was awfully nice of her. Maybe they were all wrong about her.

“Of course,” she said. “I should have known.”

She raised her head and shot Steven a look that could melt steel.

“Not finished with me, Rose?” she said. “Fine. Do your worst. You won't make me beg.”

Steven held up both his hands. He hoped the gesture would express surrender, but he just didn't know. He couldn't figure Jasper out anymore. He still thought she was suffering, but he couldn't begin to imagine what had brought her to this point. All he knew was that his perception of his mother had become a lot blurrier. If Steven squinted enough, he could see Rose's smiling face. But if he unfocused for more than a second, all he could see was a hazy collection of blobs that might have been the so-called honorable Rose Quartz.

“First of all, my name is Steven,” he said. “Second of all, I'm not Rose Quartz. I know I have her gemstone, but I'm not her.”

Jasper looked at him suspiciously. He didn't blame her for not buying it. The similarities had been less prominent when he was younger, but as a teenager Steven could confidently say he looked a lot like Rose Quartz. This had a lot to do with his choice of dress—he loved pink—and the hair he'd styled specifically to look like Rose's. He'd even been considering dying it pink. But now Steven wasn't sure he wanted to look anything like his mother. The resemblance hadn't done him much good.

“What kind of fool do you take me for?” said Jasper.

Steven pressed his finger against his cheek.

“See?” he said. “Human. I'm human. Kind of. I'm half-human.”

Jasper crossed her arms. She didn't completely believe him, but she was clearly starting to doubt her own conclusions.

“How is that possible?” she said.

Steven nervously rubbed the back of his head. Truth be told, there was no complete answer to that question. Even Greg hadn't been able to fully explain it. He tried not to think about it too much. If he wondered about it too long, Steven would start to get a headache.

“Well, when two people love each other very much..,” he started.

Jasper held up a hand, signaling him to be quiet.

Steven was more than happy to stop talking. He hadn't really been going anywhere with that. He didn't think Jasper needed—or wanted—a detailed explanation of humans and their reproductive process. That would have confused her even more.

“You know what?” said Jasper. “I don't care.”

She spread her arms.

“You have me right where you want me,” she said. “But you'd rather trap me than put me out of my misery? I shouldn't have expected any less.”

Her arms fell to her sides, her hands curled into enormous fists. She looked up at the sky above, her eyes reflecting the darkness. There was nothing around or above them. It was simply the two of them and the fluffy carpet.

“I was loyal,” she said. “I didn't want to help you. I didn't believe in your cause. Can't you just let me go, Rose? I was never on your side and you know it.”

Steven sat down, crossing one knee over the other. He didn't want to sit down, but the carpet was just so damn comfortable.

“Then why did you go along with it?” he said.

A miserable smirk spread across Jasper's face. Steven had no idea what he was asking her, but there was no point in starting from the beginning. That was a good call on his part. To Jasper, there was no beginning. Things had simply happened to her one after another, like a house of cards falling. It had started with Rose Quartz and it was going to end with Rose Quartz. Seeing Steven had convinced Jasper of that. She wasn't sure it surprised her to realize that she still wasn't done with Rose.

“I was naive,” she said. “You've always been good at manipulating, Rose. You always know what to say. Well, I've learned my lesson. I'm not going to let you use me anymore.”

Steven thought of Aquamarine and Topaz. He tried not to, but he couldn't help picturing his mother as Aquamarine and Jasper as Topaz. Was that how it had been with Jasper and Rose? Had Rose just used Gems, much like the Diamond Republic had? He remembered the adoration in Pearl's voice whenever she talked about Rose. So many Gems seemed to have fallen for whatever Rose Quartz had used to ensnare them. How many Gems had fallen in love with an image of Rose Quartz that she'd created herself? Or had those other Gems created the image, much like Steven was trying to do?

“I'm sure I, I mean Rose, never meant to manipulate you,” said Steven. “Whatever she made you do, I'm sure there was a good reason...”

Far too late, he realized that this wasn't the best thing to say. Jasper's face started to change before he even finished his sentence. He could see the anger starting to build up inside of her. Her emotions were rippling through the air, making the floor under Steven vibrate. For a second, he thought he was going to fall back into the waking world. Steven wanted to fall back into the waking world and forget about what he'd just said.

“A good reason?” Jasper shouted. “A good reason?”

She took a step towards Steven. In that moment, he was one hundred percent sure she was going to rip his head off. She did clench her fists and fix him with a look that could have punched a hole through his forehead, but she didn't grab him. Perhaps her anger went beyond a need for retaliation.

“Are you saying there was a good reason for what we did to my Diamond?” she said. “How can you say that? You know how I felt around her. You know I loved her more than any Gem I've ever met.”

She grabbed her forehead, angry tears running down her cheeks. Steven didn't know when she'd started crying and neither did she. She thought it might have been sometime between Steven's last sentence and her outburst. It didn't matter. Before what had happened with Pink Diamond, Jasper didn't even think she _could_ cry. She was a Quartz soldier after all. She was supposed to be above all that.

But Jasper had learned a lot of things since that day. She'd learned that she wasn't as strong as she thought she was. She'd learned that there were things worse than losing a battle or letting an enemy get past her. Not only had she learned to cry, she'd also learned what it felt like to be caged in the past.

Jasper tilted her head up and let out a frustrated shout. Sometimes shouting made it better, but most times it didn't. She was a wreck and she knew it. Some soldier she'd turned out to be. These hang-ups were hardly acceptable for a Pearl, let alone a Quartz soldier. If this was what Rose Quartz had wanted, she'd gotten it tenfold.

“Wait, _us_?” said Steven.

But Jasper wasn't listening to him. She let out another shout of frustration. It didn't help. It was never going to help.

“What is _wrong_ with me?” she said. “I should be above this. I should be able to move on.”

Without thinking, Steven jumped to his feet. He instinctively reached forward to touch Jasper, but he quickly pulled his hand back. He had a feeling his soothing touch wasn't going to do much good. Steven instead spread his hands beseechingly, doing his best to lock his gaze with hers.

“No, you shouldn't,” he said. “You shouldn't expect yourself to just get over it. If you care about Pink Diamond as much as you say, you can't just forget what happened to her.”

Jasper ground her fingers into her hair, releasing a third shout into the silent darkness around them.

“But I'm a Quartz soldier,” she said.

Against his better judgment, Steven stepped closer to Jasper.

“It doesn't matter,” he said. “We all have to deal with the mistakes we've made.”

He clenched his fists.

“I made a mistake,” he said. “I shouldn't have come on this mission. I shouldn't have come to the Quartz Kingdom for answers.”

He shook his head. He'd wanted to know about his mother, to finally understand the person Greg Universe had fallen in love with and the Gem who'd given him life. But Steven was starting to believe that he would have been better off not knowing Rose Quartz. He'd met so many Gems who were worse off having known Rose. It looked as if he wasn't going to be much different.

Jasper said something to him, but Steven couldn't hear her. He saw her mouth moving, but her voice sounded as if it came from underwater. He started to ask her what she'd said, but Steven's own voice seemed to have been lost. He tried again, but the results were the same.

Steven realized he was no longer standing on the carpet. He tried to say something once again, but he'd already begun descending towards the darkness below. When he realized this, his descent increased in speed. Steven opened his mouth to scream, raising his hands as if seeking to claw his way back towards Jasper. But his body seemed to be moving in slow motion. Even if he'd been able to, he couldn't get his hands up fast enough to actually stop his own descent. Steven watched helplessly as Jasper sank from view, her mouth still moving silently.

He landed on the hard floor of the storage room. Or at least it felt like he landed. The sensation of having fallen a great height and landed on a floor was so powerful that Steven instinctively braced for the pain to go shooting up his body.

When he realized that he was just sitting there as he had been before falling asleep, Steven raised his head. It took a second for his mind to adjust to the fact that he was no longer dreaming. Nothing around him felt real. For a second, Steven wasn't even sure he was real. Was he really inside his own squishy human body? Steven ran his hands down his chest to confirm that he was indeed Steven Universe.

He lifted his head and looked into the eyes of the Gem inside the bubble. She was staring at him as if he was something and someone completely alien to her.

Steven leaned forward and pressed both hands against the bubble. He was starting to get a crazy idea. It was something that all of them should have considered at some point.

Jasper wasn't the one who'd been terrorizing the Quartz Kingdom. She was just a convenient distraction. The perfect suspect. But Jasper had said “us”. There had been other Gems involved in Pink Diamond's shattering.

If Steven was right, they'd been hunting the wrong Gem all along. And if Steven wasn't just being naive, they were all in danger.


	22. Innocence

“Do you think they knew?”

Connie whispered the question into her lap, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head bowed. She'd lost track of her feelings. She thought she felt betrayed or angry, but that mysterious emotion writhing inside her chest could have been anything. Whatever it was, it was making Connie feel sick.

He could have told everyone at once, but Steven had chosen to share his dream—or whatever it had been—with Connie first. He'd hoped she would have some kind of answer for him. He'd realized halfway through his story that this wasn't going to be the case. Neither of them knew what was going on. So they were just sitting there, Steven with his head against Jasper's bubble and Connie in front of him.

In answer to Connie's question, Steven shook his head.

“No,” he said. “They wouldn't have wasted time with Jasper if they knew.”

Connie raised her head and looked at Steven.

“Are you sure about that?” she said.

It went without saying that neither of them were sure about anything. It was all speculation. Connie liked mysteries, but this wasn't one of her books. This was her entire life, turned upside down and shaken until it only slightly resembled what she'd come to accept as real. She wished she could detach her mind from her body and just float there, watching her own actions from somewhere far above. It would be so much easier if Connie could disconnect from her own consciousness for a little while just so she could have a break.

She looked into Steven's eyes. Her wonderfully detailed fantasy about disconnecting from her own mind had reminded her of something relevant.

“Can you do it again?” she said.

Steven looked at her bemusedly.

“Do what?” he said.

Connie peered over Steven's head. She noticed that Jasper had turned her back on them. She wasn't sure if this was a gesture of surrender or anger. Connie wasn't especially attached to Jasper in any meaningful way, but she wanted to ask her a whole bunch of questions. Not about the Pink Diamond thing, but about what it was like to have Steven inside of her head. The unfamiliarity of this power demanded study and Connie considered herself the perfect candidate for such a task. If only she had her notebook and pen.

“Go inside Jasper's mind,” said Connie.

Steven turned his head to look at Jasper himself, his gaze snapping back to Connie once he was again sure she couldn't hear them. He was conflicted. He did feel bad for Jasper and wanted to help her, but he also recognized that she still wanted to hurt him for reasons far beyond his control. Honestly, Steven wanted to jump into Jasper's mind again and try to explain himself more thoroughly. But he felt bad about even considering such a thing, as the first time had ended so poorly and had felt somewhat like a breach of privacy.

“I don't know,” said Steven.

Connie put her hands on Steven's shoulders and smiled for the first time. The more she withdrew from her own head, the more her mood improved. This wasn't new. Connie had found that the more time she spent inside herself, the less capable she was of adjusting her own emotions. This was something that had plagued her during her early training sessions. She now realized that this wasn't a problem exclusive to combat.

“I could try putting you in a trance,” she said.

Steven stared at her, awestruck.

“Can you really do that?” he said.

Connie dropped her hands from Steven's shoulders, grinning sheepishly. She nervously rubbed the back of her head and looked away.

“Kind of,” she said. “I read a book about it once.”

She'd read _half_ of book about it, back during the earliest phase of her training. Connie had thought that mixing it up a little would impress Pearl and make up for her own lack of actual magic. She had believed that she could learn how to put opponents to sleep with merely a wave of her hand, a promise given by the book's cover. Needless to say, Connie had found this an impossible feat. But maybe that was due to her chosen subject. Of course a Gem like Pearl would be immune to something like that. Perhaps Steven would be a different story.

She put her hand on Steven's forehead, gently easing it back until his head was pressed against the bubble. It would have been easier if she'd had a pillow or something, but they had to make do. The bubble couldn't have been that uncomfortable, seeing as Steven had been leaning on it almost all day. She'd felt it herself and realized that the texture wasn't wholly unpleasant for a quick nap.

“Relax,” she said. “Close your eyes.”

Steven did as he was told. He wasn't thrilled about returning to the minefield that was Jasper's head, but what choice did he have? He had questions for her. Questions he'd never get the answers to if she was trapped in a bubble.

“Focus on my voice,” Connie said.

She started talking in what she hoped was a soothing tone. She hoped she was lulling Steven into a state of calmness. Connie also hoped that she hadn't completely wasted her time with the monstrosity of a book that had taught her how to do this.

Steven nodded. He was already tired—he seemed to be perpetually tired as of late—so it was easy to let himself be carried off by Connie's voice. He could hear her counting backwards from ten. Each number seemed to echo in his brain, bouncing off the walls before coming to a gentle rest atop his thoughts. In the darkness behind Steven's eyelids, all that really existed was Connie's voice and his own thoughts.

_“.......seven....six....five....”_

A drumbeat. That's what Connie's voice was. The beats went off one by one, steady and slow. Steven found himself trying to measure the time in between each beat. That briefest of pauses before Connie's lips parted and another number dropped from her mouth. Steady and slow. Purposeful. Steven was starting to lose all of his problems in Connie's voice. He tried to get them back, chasing them into the forest of numbers. But the faster he ran, the further his problems scampered away.

_“.....four....three....two....”_

Steven felt a droplet of water on his face. He wanted to reach up and brush it off, but he suddenly didn't want to move his body. His limbs felt so light, almost ethereal. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able to control their movements. Steven wasn't used to his body feeling so much like air.

Another droplet. He swore he could feel his eyes humming in their sockets, but it somehow wasn't unpleasant. Or if he did find it unfortunate, Steven wasn't in the mood to react. He was caught up in his own waiting. He listened to Connie's voice, counting the seconds as her longest pause yet started to overcome him.

_“.....one.”_

A hand brushed Steven's forehead and he felt the droplets dissipate. But his body didn't become heavier. It became even lighter, more of an abstract thought than a human body. But somehow Steven found it easier to control. He could move his limbs as if they were actually there and he was able to open his eyes.

The room and Connie had disappeared again. Steven looked around, realizing he must have again been thrown into Jasper's mindscape. He was hit with the same indescribable feeling that had accompanied him during his last journey into the crumbling world that was Jasper's head. Steven was also hit with the same guilt as he realized what he had to do. Now that he was there, he couldn't leave without asking Jasper those questions.

He felt more water droplets on his head. Steven didn't know how he was able to feel anything, but he just let the droplets stay there. He couldn't concern himself with stuff like that. He had to find Jasper and start interrogating her.

Steven started walking towards a shape in the distance. It didn't look much like Jasper, but it was all he had to head towards.

Was it just him or did Jasper's mindscape seem even more sad? He remembered little about Jasper's mind, but he was sure there hadn't been so many shades of blue. The vastness of the place was making Steven nervous. He could imagine—or maybe he just sensed—a thousand awful things lurking beyond his vision.

“Jasper?” he called.

As Steven got closer to the shape, he realized it was some kind of orb. Someone was perched atop the orb, their back to Steven.

He raised his hand and waved, even though the figure couldn't see him. Steven got even closer, close enough to finally get a decent look at the Gem who was sitting on top of the orb. His smile wavered when he recognized her. He almost didn't, as he hadn't seen her in a long while. But now that Steven got a good look at the gemstone on her back, he wondered how he'd ever mistaken her for someone else. In his defense, Steven was very tired.

“Lapis?” he said.

The Gem turned around, a shocked look on her face. It was definitely Lapis. Steven hadn't seen or thought about her in forever. But he could never have forgotten those perpetually sad eyes of hers. Looking into her eyes was like looking into a mirror. They reflected back every single miserable thought Steven had ever had in his life.

“What are you doing in here?” Lapis said.

She jumped off the orb and landed a foot from Steven. Steven hadn't noticed it the first time they met, but he was actually a little taller than her. Lapis looked so frail and vulnerable next to almost everyone, even a mere human like Steven. But Steven knew her exterior was a deception.

Steven took a step back. He wasn't sure if they were on good terms or not. He struggled to remember the last words Lapis had said to him. He was pretty sure they'd been pleasant, but he couldn't be certain anymore.

“I don't know,” said Steven.

Lapis pointed a hand at the ground. Steven watched as what looked like a trapdoor opened up in the floor between them.

“You need to leave,” she said.

Steven stared at the trapdoor, bewildered. Lapis seemed to have some control of her own mindscape. That made sense. She had spent a lot of time inside her own head while she was trapped in the mirror. Of course she had learned a few things as a consciousness inside a physical object.

“Just hear me out,” said Steven. “It's about Jasper.”

Fortunately, the trapdoor immediately closed. He was relieved. If Lapis really did have control over her own mindscape, she was probably able to eject Steven if he refused to leave.

“Did you find her?” said Lapis.

Steven nodded.

“We've got her bubbled on some artificial island somewhere,” he said. “But I don't think she's as bad as everyone is making her out to be.”

Lapis clenched her fists, staring at Steven with a mixture of outrage and disbelief. He almost wanted to take it back, but Steven couldn't lie to Lapis about his own feelings. He'd already revealed that Jasper had been captured. Why not go all the way? He thought—perhaps in a moment of naivety—that Lapis might understand where he was coming from. No such luck.

“No, she's not,” said Lapis. “She's worse. Why would you even say something like that?”

Steven struggled to explain himself in a way that would encourage Lapis to calm down. But before he could say anything, Steven felt something around his ankles. He looked down, a quizzical expression on his face. He somehow hadn't noticed that the room was starting to fill with water. It was already up to his ankles. Looking around, Steven realized that the world around him was beginning to decay. The colors were running like wet paint on a canvas. He didn't know what the hell was going on, but it couldn't have been good.

“She didn't shatter Pink Diamond,” said Steven. “She cared about her too much to have done something like that.”

Lapis wrapped her arms around herself, her face stricken with horror. She looked at Steven like he was the most terrifying creature she'd ever encountered. Her face was wracked with a mixture of guilt and a fear that was almost staggering in its intensity.

The water around them continued to rise, now well past their ankles and halfway to their knees. The speed of the rising seemed to have increased in just a few seconds.

“How did you know that?” said Lapis. “How did you know?”

By the end of her sentence, the water was already inching towards Steven's waist.

“Just forget about it, Steven,” she said. “Just forget about Pink Diamond. Forget about Jasper.”

Steven started to take a step towards Lapis, but he stopped when she backed away.

“I can't just forget about it,” he said. “This is my history. It's part of what I inherited from my mom.”

Lapis laughed bitterly, hugging herself even tighter. She backed away from Steven again, moving through the water like it wasn't even there. She seemed oblivious to it, as if she hadn't yet realized that the world around her was turning into a fish bowl. By this time, the water was close to Steven's neck in height and Lapis didn't seem concerned.

“Everyone's lying to you,” she said. “You can't trust any of them. They're all so determined to pretend it never happened.”

She shook her head.

“But they don't know,” she said. “Pearl...”

A life-size version of Pearl sprang from the water next to Lapis. Steven jumped back in surprise, staring in horror at the water-based figure that vaguely resembled the Gem he'd come to know. He couldn't look at it for too long. The eyes were far too round and vacant, like those of a doll.

“....Bismuth....”

The towering figure of Bismuth rose up on the other side of Lapis. Steven noticed that she seemed to have the Breaking Point strapped to her arm. She also looked slightly different, as she was attired in some strange outfit Steven had never seen her in. As soon as he noticed this, it occurred to him that Water-Pearl was also dressed in an outfit Steven couldn't recall her wearing. Water-Pearl also looked somewhat smaller.

“.....Jasper....”

Jasper appeared next to Bismuth.

“.....and the others.”

A series of Gems Steven didn't recognize sprang up all around Lapis. He tried to match them up with Gems he'd seen before, but their features and figures were too vague for Steven to identify them.

He didn't get much of a chance for analysis. Steven looked down and realized the water was up to his chin. He instinctively held his breath, unsure if he could drown. He definitely felt like he could drown. The water was closing in all around him, practically crushing him. Steven tried to summon his bubble or his shield, but his magic didn't seem to be working. He was forced to shut his eyes and hope for the best, even as the water started to overtake him. He wanted to object, but he couldn't open his mouth.

“They don't know what it's like to be trapped,” said Lapis. “They don't know what it's like to suffer for so long.”

She raised her arm, her eyes blazing.

“Leave me alone!” she said.

The words seemed to fill Steven's head. He clapped his hands over his ears, afraid that he might go deaf from the loudness. But Lapis's words continued to bounce around his mind, becoming louder and louder the more he tried to block them out. He opened his mouth to cry out, but the water rushed past his teeth and swarmed over his tongue. He tried to get his head above the water, but he couldn't move. The water just kept coming. It was filling his mouth, filling his lungs, filling his stomach.

The ground under Steven's feet caved in. He felt himself falling, but there was something off about his descent. It felt less like falling and more like being sucked down a drain. The world around him swallowed him and then spat him out, sending him spinning into what seemed like an endless abyss.

Steven opened his eyes. For one terrible second, he felt like he couldn't breathe. He inhaled sharply, his hand flying to his throat as if he expected to start coughing up water. But in another second, Steven realized that he was back in the real world. No water, no Lapis. There wasn't even a lingering taste of seawater on his tongue.

Connie was clutching Steven's shoulders. She looked pale.

“Are you okay?” she said. “You started thrashing around and....”

Steven nodded quickly. He wasn't sure if Connie had woken him up or if Lapis had thrown him out of her mindscape. It didn't matter. He was just happy to be back where he belonged.

“I'm fine,” he said.

It was kind of a lie. His body might have been fine, but his brain was far from alright. Steven's thoughts were still reeling from what Lapis had said. He didn't even know from which angle he should approach this information. Should he share it with everyone? Should he keep it to himself?

“What did she say?” said Connie.

Steven looked at Connie, a sheepish expression on his face. Of course he couldn't hide anything from her. She already knew he had something to say. Steven couldn't just back out. She'd immediately know he was lying. And what reason did Steven have to lie to Connie of all people?

He told her everything, starting with how he'd somehow stumbled into Lapis's mind instead of Jasper's. Saying it out loud made him realize that he had zero control over his powers. Just when he thought he was starting to understand, suddenly it became obvious that he wasn't as connected to himself as he would have preferred. But was this a power Steven wanted to master? Maybe it was helpful in this particular circumstance, but he couldn't see how it would otherwise aid him or his friends.

Connie shut her eyes and shook her head.

“This makes no sense,” she said. “They couldn't have all shattered Pink Diamond.”

Steven thought back to what Lapis had said to him.

“I think they were all in on it,” he said.

Connie nodded. That was what she'd been thinking. But it was hard to be sure, what with all the layers. How had Pearl managed to keep this a secret for so long? How many Gems in the Quartz Kingdom knew the truth? Did most of them believe that Rose Quartz had done it or did they buy into the Jasper thing?

“But why?” she said. “Why would they do that?”

Steven didn't have an answer. But he knew one thing for sure: one of the Gems Lapis had named was working against them.

 

* * *

 

 

Pearl brought up one of the large screens, a frown on her face.

“Oh, this is _ridiculous_ ,” she said.

She tapped the screen with her finger, trying to encourage the fuzzy image to make sense. But it remained incomprehensible, causing her to groan. She knew the Quartz Kingdom was somewhat behind, but their stuff wasn't that old. It shouldn't have started breaking down at the worst possible time. But this was the fourth or fifth one she'd had to fix in the last hour. What in the name of the Diamonds was going on?

She heard the door open behind her, but Pearl didn't turn around. She was too busy messing with the screen. Every time she thought it was working, the picture erupted into static. Pearl couldn't be sure, but she thought she'd fixed that exact same screen about thirty minutes ago. Somehow it had stopped working again.

“Uh, the warp pads are broken,” said a small voice.

It was Navy. She was holding a primitive human tool known as a “screwdriver”. Pearl disliked entrusting the Rubies with anything technical, but she didn't have much choice. She'd found they could be downright helpful if given precise instructions. She still wasn't sure any of them knew what they were doing. But they did it without question and that was really what she needed at the moment.

“Again?” said Pearl. “How?”

She pressed both hands against the screen. A series of still images flashed across it, but the video feed she was after didn't return.

Navy shrugged, idly waving the screwdriver. She wasn't really into this whole “fixing” thing that Pearl liked to do. None of them were. They were all bored with it, especially seeing as there seemed to be more interesting things going on in the main hall. Half the Rubies were down there, while the other half were stuck helping Pearl.

“I don't know,” said Navy. “Should I fix it with this?”

Pearl glanced at Navy's screwdriver, then turned quickly back to the uncooperative screen.

“I'll handle it,” she said. “You and Army keep trying to get in contact with Amethyst and Peridot.”

Navy pouted for a second, disappointed that her above average skills with a screwdriver weren't being appreciated. She thought she'd picked it up rather quickly, especially compared to the other Rubies. With a sad sigh, she left the room. Navy was glad Pearl hadn't asked for a progress report. Her and Army were no closer to fixing all the busted communications devices.

Pearl brushed both hands against the screen again, muttering pleas to herself.

“Gotcha!” she exclaimed.

Pearl laughed out loud as the image on the screen finally came back. It was a little blurry, but it was there. She smirked as a live feed of the main hall appeared. She could finally see what was going on, although she wasn't too interested in that. Pearl had something else she needed to check and this was the only place she could see it.

She dismissed the live feed with a flick of her finger. It was replaced by what appeared to be a rudimentary blueprint of the castle. She zoomed out until she could see the entire castle. The main hall was covered with rapidly moving dots. As Pearl watched, a bunch of the dots disappeared. Apparently Garnet and whoever else was down there were doing a great job. Pearl wondered why she'd even begun to worry, despite all the Gem tech failures. She just wished she could be there too, instead of trying to fix the warp pads and whatever the hell else was broken.

She scowled as she examined a few other parts of the map. Why was there a cluster of dots in one distant corner of the castle? Was it some kind of mistake? No, it couldn't be. As old as this tech was, errors like that were unheard of.

Pearl zoomed in a little. There were at least three dots all gathered around that specific part of the castle. But there was no one there, or at least there shouldn't have been. Everyone was either in the main hall or doing their best to fix the malfunctioning technology. How could they have possibly...?

Pearl jumped as a shrill scream blasted down the hallway, her hand flying to her gem. She half-pulled her spear from her gemstone as the scream sounded again, deeper this time. What in the stars was going on?

Then she remembered. She'd thought that part of the castle was empty. Of course she would have made that mistake. It had been empty, up until a little while ago. But now there was one person living there. One person who definitely wasn't equipped to deal with what was happening. _Greg._

Pearl sprinted out of the room and down the hallway, yanking her spear from her gemstone as she ran. Greg's screams continued as she got closer to the guest bedroom.

When she finally got there, the scene was a lot less grisly than Pearl had imagined. Just as the screen had shown her, three of the creatures had somehow found their way to the bedroom. They had crowded into the tiny room, their massive bodies blocking the doorway. They were bearing down on a terrified Greg. For his part, Greg had pressed himself against the back wall and was brandishing a waffle iron. He looked so small in comparison to the creatures that were raising their misshapen limbs.

“Stay back,” said Greg.

He raised the waffle iron and slammed it into the largest creature's chest. He yelped in surprise when the creature staggered back as if the blow had critically wounded it. It threw its head back, raising two misaligned arms while the third hung limply at its other side. It turned what might have been considered its face—although it had no eyes to speak of—to the side, then leaned back and burst into smoke. Its gemstone fell to the ground.

Greg looked at the waffle iron in his hands, then dropped his gaze to the gemstone. He noticed it was rather odd-looking, but he wasn't too focused on that.

“Wow,” was all he could say.

He heard two identical poofing sounds and two other gems dropped to the ground. He looked up from the gemstone he'd been staring at.

Pearl strode into the room and rolled her eyes. She picked up her spear, a frustrated look on her face. That had been easy—she'd taken them by surprise—but it had been an unwanted distraction from her tech-related duties. Sure, she'd wanted to get in on the action. But she hadn't wanted to have to rescue Greg of all people. Did humans just attract magical trouble?

“Yeah, I'm fine,” said Greg. “Thanks for asking.”

Pearl ignored him. She picked up the first gemstone, bubbled it, and sent it away. She did the same with the other two, hardly glancing at Greg as she did so. Considering how she was acting towards him, one would never guess she had just saved his life. Greg couldn't help feeling like it had been more of an obligation than a want. But that was how he'd felt about Pearl since they'd arrived. Every nice thing she did—even something as important as saving his life—felt like a gesture borne from politeness rather than anything amiable. Greg didn't know what Pearl's problem with him was, but she was making no effort to hide it.

“What were those things?” said Greg.

Pearl continued to avoid his gaze, but she did answer his question. Progress?

“Failed experiments,” she said. “Everything is under control.”

She didn't bother telling him that the main hall was currently swarmed with those things. Garnet and the others were poofing and bubbling them as best they could, but there were a lot of the things. None of them had realized there were so many. They certainly hadn't expected a full-on battle anytime in the future. They'd always been meaning to round them up, but something had always gotten in the way. Now they were paying for their negligence.

Greg thought back to the gemstone's bizarre shape.

“Was that two Gems fused together?” he said.

Pearl stiffened at the question. She stood rigid, her back to Greg as if she just couldn't look at him.

“Something like that,” she said.

She left before Greg could ask anymore questions. This was fortunate for both of them, because Greg wasn't sure he wanted to know anymore. Rose Quartz had done her best to keep her relationship with him and her life in the Quartz Kingdom separate. He'd respected the fact that she had a whole other life that didn't involve him. But sometimes the questions Greg never asked kept him awake at night. His policy of never getting involved with magic had seemed obvious at the time, but maybe he should have been more curious. If not for himself, for the sake of his son.

Greg could hear the fight raging on downstairs. He hoped the Gems were winning. He hoped Steven—wherever he might be—was alright.


	23. Guilt

Steven jerked awake, his eyes darting all over the room like they were going to pop out of their sockets. He'd been having a dream so vivid that he felt as if he'd visited an alternate reality. The details were fading fast, but he still remembered the image of his own body shrinking as his mind split in two.

There was shouting coming from somewhere. A fight? It took Steven a minute to realize that the shouting wasn't actually coming from inside the room. His first thought had been Jasper's escape and the ensuing discord. But he realized that he was still leaning against the bubble. Jasper was still locked up, so what the hell was going on outside?

The yelling was getting closer. Steven opened his mouth to shout Connie's name and possibly ask for an explanation, but he stopped himself. If there really was some kind of battle going on outside, it had to involve him somehow. Wasn't that a growing trend in Steven's life? He seemed to attract conflict, his very presence breeding mistrust and division even among colleagues.

Scared for his life, Steven pressed his back against the bubble. His eyes on the door, he summoned his shield and waited. Steven was conflicted. Should he rush outside and help his friends or should he wait for the threat to reach him? The first one seemed the most heroic and therefore the most advisable, but Steven was legitimately worried about how he might stir things up. It sounded like things were already bad. If he suddenly jumped into the fray, they might get worse and he'd have to deal with putting his friends in even more danger just by being there.

Before Steven could make a decision, the door was blown off its hinges. Even though the door was several feet away, Steven's hand shot to his face. He was so startled that he forgot all about his shield. But he did notice that he'd backed himself into a corner. _Great_. If someone was there to hurt him, they'd caught him in the perfect position.

He pressed his back harder against the bubble. Remembering his shield, he took a step towards the Gem who'd entered the room.

He didn't recognize her at first. Steven assumed she was someone he didn't know. The thought frustrated him. He'd met so many Gems who were out to get him and very few Gems who just wanted to talk and get to know him as a person. But even his new friends didn't seem to see him as a person. Steven was a hybrid, an anomaly, even a freak. He knew that was what they all thought of him. He could tell by the way they looked at him when they thought he wasn't paying attention. Those glances hurt more than if they'd said all that stuff to Steven's face.

Then the supposedly unknown Gem lifted her head. She'd come floating into the room after bashing the door down. The sight was rather unearthly, especially seeing as she appeared to be wearing some kind of puffy suit. But when the Gem raised her head, Steven realized she was actually “dressed” in some crazy outfit made of water. She even had a little transparent helmet—made of water—over her head and a pair of wings jutting from the back of the suit.

“Lapis?” said Steven.

His heart sank into his stomach.  He was remembering his dream. But that hadn't been a dream and Steven had been foolish to treat it as one. He'd given away his location without a thought, essentially leaving important information inside Lapis's head. Of course she came looking for him.

Connie rushed into the room, sword drawn. Her hair was sopping wet and she looked completely furious. She had no visible scars or bruises, but Lapis had obviously done a number on her. Connie was clearly pissed, but she was keeping her distance and her stance was a little shaky.

“Get away from him!” she said.

Centipeedle and Topaz weren't with her. They were either trapped or they'd been poofed and were taking their time reforming. Steven bet on the latter.

Steven stepped forward, ready to put himself between Connie and Lapis if things got even worse. He spoke loudly and frantically, desperate to avoid anymore violence.

“Stop it,” he said. “You don't have to hurt each other.”

Lapis's face hardened at Steven's words. She seemed personally insulted. Not about how he'd suggested she intended to hurt Connie—Lapis wasn't averse to the idea—but because he was trying to get between them. Was that just something he felt inclined to do? Was he just obsessed with putting himself in harm's way to diffuse conflict? Lapis didn't get it.

“Tell her to stop getting in the way,” Lapis said.

A thick tendril of water snaked out from Lapis's suit and shot towards Connie. Connie backed up slightly and swung her sword. The blade cut through the tendril with ease. After all, it was only water. It was no match for the great Rose Quartz's most trusted weapon.

Small orbs of water began to rapidly detach from Lapis's suit. Connie dodged as best she could, swinging her sword at the ones that got close. It was like an unfair game of tag. The more Connie dodged, the faster the orbs came. But the increased speed of the attack didn't seem to bother Connie. She just kept running, ducking, and weaving. This was nothing compared to her training.

But Lapis had more up her sleeve. When her first method proved useless against Connie's skills, her impatience manifested at full force. With a growl of frustration, she raised her hands. Lapis's entire suit seemed to melt off her body. As Connie and Steven watched, the suit—now minus its wearer—rippled for a second. It then began to change shape.

“What the?” Connie said.

She raised her sword again, genuinely unsettled. She knew Lapis was powerful. Lapis was probably one of the most dangerous Gems on Earth. Of all potential threats to the Quartz Kingdom, Lapis was high on the list.

The water suit morphed into a vague approximation of Connie. Connie watched in disbelief as the water version of her raised a sword identical to her own—although only in shape—and regarded her with its lifeless eyes. This was, without a single doubt, the creepiest thing she'd ever seen. Connie wasn't sure what to do. She still had her sword up, but she was losing focus. She found herself lost in the hollow gaze of her water-based double.

Steven started forward. He'd been hesitating before, but now was definitely the time for action. He wasn't sure what was going on, only that Lapis was the kind of Gem who needed to be taken seriously. With how bitter Lapis was, he was surprised she hadn't attacked the Quartz Kingdom a long time ago. What had stopped Lapis from exacting revenge over what she perceived as intentional cruelty? Had Peridot talked her out of it with logic? Did Lapis subconsciously realize that she was wrong? Was she even wrong in the first place when she assumed that Rose Quartz had tricked her?

Connie's double turned its hollow eyes towards Steven. It stared at him for a second, then raised its sword and charged at him. Steven was so startled that he nearly scrambled backwards in terror. Before Steven could start screaming, he remembered that he still had his shield up. His bravery growing, Steven stepped forward to meet the other Connie's attack.

The sword slammed into Steven's shield. He was surprised by the force of the impact. He could feel it skittering through his arms, like someone had just hit a bass drum he was holding against his stomach. But despite the force, the sword promptly erupted into water droplets as soon as it hit the shield.

The other Connie stepped back, her hands empty. She stared at Steven, her head cocked to the side like she was confused or curious. But Steven didn't have time to laugh in victory. In a moment, the other Connie had straightened her head and locked eyes with him. Another sword materialized in her hands.

“No fair,” Steven said.

But he shouldn't have been the one complaining about unfairness. Connie had crept up behind her double while it was distracted. Her sword cut the air, slicing right through her double's waist. She flinched as she sliced her double in half. The thing didn't look much like her except for its shape, but the sight still made her somewhat queasy.

Connie's double shuddered for a second, then its body hastily repaired itself. It turned to look at Connie, its head swiveling all the way around even as its body remained stationary. Then it spun its body around, raising the sword as if about to bring it down on Connie's head like a mallet.

Connie skittered backwards in a less-than-elegant fashion to escape the blow. The tip of the sword came down at her feet. Safe for at least a second, Connie raised her own sword. She wasn't sure how she planned to defeat a seemingly impervious version of herself, but she was going to try.

“Lapis, stop!” Steven burst out.

Without thinking, he took his shield in both hands. He pulled his arm back and let it go, flinging it towards Lapis like a flying disc. He wasn't considering if that was or wasn't a good idea. He just wanted to bring the fight to an end.

Connie's water double abruptly lost interest in her. It rapidly slid across the floor like a slug, losing its form as it rushed towards Lapis. Lapis raised her arm and what was once Connie's double morphed into a massive orb of water. The shield hit the orb head on, both evaporating upon impact.

“Enough,” said Lapis.

Steven tensed, but Lapis seemed to have gotten fed up with attacking. Maybe she thought she was outmatched. But Steven doubted that. Lapis definitely knew how powerful she was. Maybe she'd been oblivious to it in the beginning, but she'd spent a long time in that mirror. She must have learned a lot about what Gems could do if they moved beyond their programming.

“I want Jasper,” said Lapis.

Steven wondered where Lion was. Probably lounging outside, oblivious to what was going on indoors. Lucky him.

“What are you going to do to her?” said Steven.

The answer didn't matter. Even if Lapis had claimed she was going to take Jasper berry-picking, Steven still wouldn't have handed her over. He'd worked so hard to find her in the first place. This was his responsibility. Steven hadn't asked for it and he sure as hell would have traded it for anything, but neither of those things mattered.

“You don't understand anything,” said Lapis. “If you did, you would have given her to me.”

Her expression darkened as she eyed Jasper. They'd both changed a little since the last time they'd seen one another, both physically and mentally. But they were basically the same Gems. Lapis had stayed in the place she'd been after she was finally freed from the mirror. She'd kept it all with her, carrying it around like a prize. Sometimes it was what kept her going, other times it was what threatened to push Lapis over the edge. But it was always with her.

Jasper had both hands pressed against the bubble. She was yelling something, her face frantic. Steven couldn't tell if she was elated to see Lapis or terrified. If he had to guess, he would have said a mixture of both.

“Do you know what she did?” said Lapis.

She smiled bitterly. Wasn't it strange how the memories still caused her pain? Even after so long, she still felt as if someone was jabbing a shard of glass into her side.

“Being fused with her was a nightmare,” said Lapis. “Don't you see the kind of Gem she is, Steven? We have to take care of her.”

Steven's face paled at Lapis's words. She said it in such a matter-of-fact way, as if this was a foregone conclusion. Steven recalled how Bismuth had shoved the Breaking Point into his arms. He recalled the grim look in her eyes. She was so sure he'd need it. And now Lapis was saying the exact same thing. Everyone seemed to expect a kind of somber finality. Well, Steven believed in a different type of ending.

“I know she seems like a bad Gem,” he said.

He remembered what he'd seen in Jasper's head. She was a soldier. She was ruthless. She was fueled by a raw desire for revenge. But a long time ago, Jasper had had someone she cared about. Someone she would have given her life to keep safe. She'd lost that specific someone and it had completely broken her. Jasper was still a soldier, still ruthless, still looking only for revenge. But deep down, she was little more than a wilting flower trying to survive after someone blotted out the sun.

“What happened between you guys and Pink Diamond?” said Steven.

Surprised by the question, Lapis looked away in shame. She wrapped her arms around herself. No one had asked her about that in a long time. Lapis had decided that she just wasn't going to talk about it. But she also wanted to talk about it. Lapis had been bottling it up for so long. Everyone else had someone they could talk to, someone who could understand and accept what had happened. But Lapis had never had anyone like that. Even Peridot had never been told the full story.

“That was a long time ago,” she said.

Naturally, Steven wasn't satisfied by that evasive answer. Everyone just kept dodging his questions.

“You all shattered Pink Diamond, didn't you?” said Steven. “That's the big secret. You teamed up and shattered Pink Diamond.”

Her face filled with guilt, Lapis nodded. That had been the second worst day of her life. The worst one had come much later and had involved a mirror.

“Everything went wrong,” she said. “ _Everything_.”

It was so ironic. They'd thought— _Rose_ had thought—that shattering Pink Diamond would free them. But they'd all ended up trapped in their own little prisons, some more literal than others. Even thousands of years after the worst of it had passed, it was still lurking behind them like a ghost in a dark hallway. Sometimes it was a cold hand on their shoulder or a whisper in their ear. They were all haunted by every emotion they'd had during the pivotal moment, their minds trapped in that split second before they reached the point of no return.

“She was going to destroy the planet,” said Lapis. “You have to understand.”

Lapis sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“I didn't care about the Earth,” she said. “I still don't. But if Pink Diamond had gotten her way, she would have ruined everything. I would have had to go back to Homeworld. I didn't want to go back. I wanted to be free.”

She shook her head, her voice turning bitter.

“Rose promised I'd never be trapped again,” she said. “She told me I could do whatever I wanted, be whoever I wanted.”

She let out a sour laugh. To think she'd believed Rose. To think she'd been so desperate that she'd actually risked her life. But could she blame herself? Homeworld was such a monotonous place. Lapis had been so relieved to escape. Learning that she had the power to actually grow and become more than her purpose was exhilarating in a way she hadn't expected. Lapis never wanted to lose that feeling, so she'd done something hasty that could have resulted in her being shattered. How foolhardy she'd once been. But her years in the mirror had cured her of that.

“But she never tried to find out what happened to me,” said Lapis. “After I did what she wanted, she just stopped caring. That's the kind of Gem she was.”

She let out a humorless laugh. As far as she was concerned, Rose Quartz had put her in that mirror. After all, it was following Rose's plans that had landed Lapis there in the first place. She'd foolishly trusted in a Gem she hardly knew and her punishment had been almost immediate. Everything had turned to chaos and Lapis had ended up poofed. She still remembered the shouts and accusations swarming around her before she exploded into smoke. Lapis couldn't quite form a complete time frame, but it must have been some time later that someone stuck her cracked gemstone into the mirror and left her there to rot for her crimes.

Steven stepped forward.

“You shattered Pink Diamond,” he said quietly. “It was you.”

Lapis looked into Steven's eyes. She looked empty, like someone had siphoned the emotion out of her body. Lapis had stopped feeling things a long time ago. While she was in the mirror, everything had been so intense. All of her emotions were drumbeats and her thoughts were sirens. The cacophony had deafened Lapis, forcing her to fold deeper into herself just to get away from the endless noise. But there was nowhere for her to go. It was just her and her own mind, just her and the screeching of her consciousness. When Lapis finally climbed out and was able to be whole again, she was numb.

“Yes, Steven,” she said. “I shattered Pink Diamond.”

Few Gems knew the power of a Lapis who'd reached her full potential. Lapis was hoping she would never again have to prove what she could do without limits.


	24. The Lazuli Confession

“ _You_ shattered a Diamond?” Connie said.

She couldn't keep the incredulity out of her voice. She knew that Lapis was a strong Gem, possibly the strongest non-fusion she was ever going to meet. She'd just had a first hand experience with Lapis's power and it wasn't something Connie wanted to repeat. But shattering a Diamond? Even Lapis couldn't have done that. Every Gem had limits.

Lapis sat down on the floor, her legs pressed against her chest. She thought talking about it would make it better, but she instead felt drained. Telling the story again didn't make it any easier for her.

“Well, I didn't,” she said. “Malachite did.”

She turned her head and smiled at the floor. She pressed her finger to the cold surface and dragged it in idle circles.

“Malachite,” she said. “I felt so powerful. So in control. I liked being in control. I had no idea fusion could feel so amazing.”

She curled her hand into a fist. Her memories of Malachite were wonderful, but also sharp like needles. It was hard for Lapis to explain. She realized now that forming Malachite had been a terrible decision. They were unstable, co-dependent, and full of anger. Lapis never wanted to feel like that again. But she had to admit that it hadn't been all bad. There'd been an excitement to it, a feeling of power that could never be matched. Shattering Pink Diamond had sealed it. For one brief moment, Lapis had never wanted to be anything other than Malachite.

Connie looked at Jasper. Jasper was dragging her hands across the bubble, her eyes pleading. Now it was obvious what she wanted. She too was thinking about Malachite, thinking about how powerful she'd felt. Maybe if she became Malachite again, Jasper would finally be free of her guilt. She could lose herself in that feeling of power and never have to think about Pink Diamond again. There was so little of her left. She was just fragments and a broken consciousness inside a body.

“Why would Jasper agree to that?” said Steven.

Lapis let out another bitter laugh. She was staring across the room at nothing, her face blank.

“Who knows what's going on inside that Gem's head?” she said.

But Steven knew what was going on inside Jasper's head. He knew she'd been torturing herself for years, her regret immeasurable. What could have driven someone so loyal to team up with someone conspiring to shatter her Diamond? Did Steven even want to know?

“Rose did care about you,” said Steven. “She took the blame for Pink Diamond's shattering. She let everyone believe she was a traitor and a criminal so you wouldn't have to be punished.”

He paused.

“But you knew that, didn't you?” he said.

Lapis turned her gaze to Steven. Her face was blank, so he couldn't tell what she was thinking. But she was actually looking him in the eye, something she hadn't done up until that point. Even though Lapis wasn't emoting, Steven felt comforted by the fact that she was looking at him. He didn't think she hated him, even though she would have been partially justified. Lapis's feelings towards him were undoubtedly complicated and Steven couldn't have hoped to understand them.

“She just wanted the glory,” she said.

Steven walked over to Lapis. He knelt down beside her. He gave her a gentle smile that she didn't return, but he wasn't necessarily looking for affection. Steven just wanted her to feel something.

“She wanted to protect you,” he said. “All of you. Even Jasper.”

He glanced over his shoulder at the bubble, briefly locking eyes with Jasper. He'd said it without really thinking about it, but Steven was startled to realize that it was true. He felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. What were they doing? This wasn't what Rose Quartz had wanted. Lapis being trapped in the mirror, Jasper being hunted, betrayal, revenge, lies. No matter how she'd gone about it, Rose Quartz had ultimately wanted to do the right thing. Not just for the Gems around her, but for humans like Connie. How could anyone believe that what had happened up to that point was what Rose had truly wanted?

Lapis shook her head.

“Well, she didn't,” said Lapis.

Steven couldn't argue with that. He instead sat on the floor next to Lapis. He eyed the bubble, unsure of what they were going to do. He had a basic idea of their next actions. First of all, they needed to get back to the Quartz Kingdom and see what was going on. But between this island and the Quartz Kingdom, there was a bunch of uncharted territory. What were they supposed to do with Jasper? What about the mysterious Gem who seemed intent on getting rid of Steven?

“Do you have a ship we could borrow?” said Connie.

She didn't know about Steven, but she wanted to focus on getting off the island. They'd technically completed their mission, so what was the point in delaying their return?

Lapis shrugged. Ships weren't really her thing. She'd never needed one to get around, even if a ship would have made almost any journey significantly better. But then again, she hadn't left her own island in a while. Wings or not, Lapis just didn't care about ships.

“No, but I'm pretty sure you could build one,” she said. “There are a lot of spare parts here.”

She hesitated.

“I'm sorry,” she added.

Connie didn't know what Lapis was apologizing for specifically. Attacking her? Poofing Topaz and Centipeedle? Her general behavior? It was probably all of those things, plus a bunch of stuff Lapis would never bother sharing with them. Despite all that had happened, Connie didn't dislike Lapis. So even though Connie didn't know what Lapis was sorry for, she accepted the apology. She could tell that Lapis needed her guilt to be acknowledged.

Connie rubbed her chin, deep in thought.

“I don't think we can build a ship,” she said. “But we can build some kind of communication device. We could get in contact with Amethyst and Peridot so they can pick us up.”

Why hadn't they thought of that earlier? Probably because there was way too much going on. Connie was actually a little embarrassed. The whole Jasper thing had completely taken over her thoughts.

“I'll get Centipeedle to help me,” she said.

Confident that this was going to work, Connie rushed out of the room. There was another reason she hadn't thought of this earlier: she wasn't sure getting Amethyst and Peridot involved was a good idea. Explaining this to them was going to be a pain in the ass, especially the part about them not poofing Jasper when they had the chance. How was Garnet going to respond to them? What about Pearl? Connie felt like there was a fist wrapped around her heart. What was Pearl going to say when she found out all the things they'd done and—more importantly—what they hadn't done?

Steven looked from Jasper to Lapis. He felt uncomfortable. He was alone with two of the most dangerous Gems in history. Even apart, they were both huge threats. Steven couldn't imagine how much worse they were as Malachite. Well, he actually _could_ imagine it. They'd shattered a Diamond after all. If they decided it was time to mash it up again, Steven couldn't have done very much with just his shield and the sword Connie had left behind.

He stood up. Steven wasn't sure it was wise to leave the two of them alone, but he trusted Lapis. He had significantly less trust in Jasper, but she was locked up. Considering both of those things, what could happen if he was out of the room? Steven kept making excuses to himself, pushing down his regret and sense of dread. He just wanted to get away from them for a while. He wanted to focus on something other than Lapis and Jasper for at least five minutes. Connie had pretty much dropped a distraction in his lap and Steven didn't want to waste it.

Reluctantly, he headed to the door. Lapis didn't say anything as he left, which made him feel slightly better about his actions. If Lapis had spoken a single word to him, Steven probably would have plopped back down on the floor and resumed staring at the bubble. He kept telling himself that nothing could happen. He was only going to be gone for five minutes at the most. It was just a little getaway.

Connie was already working on the communication device. Steven decided to call it a “radio”, even though it was probably something a thousand times more complicated. Connie was sitting in the middle of the massive main room. She'd already amassed a sizable amount of parts, probably with the help of Topaz and Centipeedle. It looked like she'd just asked them to bring everything that looked even slightly useful and dump it on the floor of the main room. When Steven walked in, Connie was fiddling with some kind of transparent cube filled with wires. She greeted Steven without looking up from her work.

Steven sat down beside her on the floor. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, but the same likely went for Topaz. If Connie asked him to grab something for her, Steven was more than ready to do it.

“Need any help?” he said.

Connie shook her head. She might have looked like she was just pulling wires, but she actually had a pretty good idea of what she was doing. She'd never made a communication device—or anything really—from scratch before. But how hard could it be, especially with Centipeedle's help?

Steven fidgeted. He realized he was basically useless. There was nothing to confront Lapis about, he couldn't help Connie with the device, and there was nothing that demanded immediate attention. He should have been relieved to get a break, but Steven instead felt like a non-essential member of the team. What would have happened if he hadn't been there? The others likely would have completed the mission in the most efficient way possible and returned to the Quartz Kingdom. It seemed that Steven's inclusion had mainly caused strife.

Topaz was sitting with her back against the wall. She was staring at the ceiling with a faint smile on her face. She looked like she was deep in thought. But when Steven came over to her, she immediately focused on him.

“Are you alright?” said Steven. “I know Lapis poofed you and...”

Topaz held up a hand to stop him. The edges of her grin were slightly strained, but she seemed mostly intact. Being poofed couldn't have been a pleasant experience for her.

He wished he'd been there with his shield. If only Steven had sprinted out of the room while Connie was busy with Lapis. But if he had, what would have happened to Connie? It hurt for him to admit it to himself, but Steven just couldn't save everyone or be there for all of his friends at once. Was that how Rose had felt?

“Topaz and Topaz are fine,” said Topaz. “We've been poofed before. It's no big deal.”

_“If it's no big deal, why did it take so long for you to come back?”_ Steven wanted to ask. _“What were you doing inside your gems?”_

But Steven didn't think he had the right to ask such a deeply personal question. Topaz was a lot more complex than she let on. He could tell that there were certain things under the surface, thoughts and feelings she would never bother to share with anyone. Steven wondered if this was a natural side effect of being a fusion. Now that he thought about it, he had no idea what being a fusion was actually like and he'd never really cared to know. It wasn't like fusion was something Steven could have experienced himself. Then again, he did have a gemstone.

His heart rate increasing, Steven lifted his shirt and examined his gemstone. He thought about what Lapis had said about being Malachite. What if Steven could fuse? What would that even feel like? And if so, who would Steven fuse with?

He dropped his shirt. No, that was silly. Why was he even thinking about such ridiculous things?

“Hey Topaz,” he said. “How did you, you know, fuse for the first time? What did it feel like?”

Topaz shrugged her enormous shoulders.

“I was Topaz and Topaz,” she said. “Then suddenly I was Topaz. Why? Haven't you ever fused before?”

With a rueful smile, Steven tapped his gemstone. He wished his mother's gem had come with a user manual.

“I'm not sure I can,” he said. “I'm half-human.”

Topaz grinned at him. She didn't normally like talking about fusion. Naturally, she was intimately familiar with it. But at the same time, she felt as if she knew nothing about it. To her, fusion was just her natural state of being. Topaz had never pondered it for more than a minute.

“Who would I fuse with?” said Steven.

Judging by the look on her face, Topaz already had someone in mind. She wasn't in the habit of pairing up potential fusions—except jokingly—but she'd been giving it some thought. Steven seemed like a good kid and she'd heard him talking about how uncertain he was about his powers. Fusion had helped Topaz and Topaz realize who they were and what they wanted to do with themselves. Topaz was confident it could help Steven as well, provided he was able to master it. But she didn't get the chance to suggest a fusion partner.

They both heard a shout from the storage room where Jasper's bubble was being kept. It sounded like Lapis.

Steven jumped to his feet. His heart was hammering and his face had gone pale. Why in the world had he just left Lapis and Jasper alone? Was he that desperate to get away and find a distraction? Steven could feel the guilt nibbling at his stomach as he ran towards the storage room. If something terrible had happened, he was never going to forgive himself. Steven could only hope it wasn't as bad as what he was imagining.

Steven was first into the room, followed by a weapon-brandishing Topaz and Connie. Centipeedle wasn't behind them. Either she hadn't heard the shout or she was too busy with her work to notice.

Lapis was standing in front of Jasper's bubble. The sight would have been innocuous if not for what had preceded it. At first Steven thought that it was a false alarm and that somehow they'd all just imagined the shout. But soon he became aware that something was terribly wrong. Lapis had both hands pressed against the bubble, an intense expression on her face.

“What are you doing?” said Connie.

Lapis turned to face the newcomers. She'd likely heard them come in, but she hadn't turned around at their arrival. There were several orbs of water hovering around her. It looked as if she'd been preparing to do something before the others interrupted her. Given the look on her face, Steven could guess what that something was.

“There's nothing we can do for her,” said Lapis. “We need to poof her and take her back to the Quartz Kingdom.”

Everyone else was focusing on Lapis, but Steven's gaze had wandered to the bubble. When he finally noticed, his heart practically crammed itself into his throat. He wanted to grab Connie's shoulder to get her attention or just raise his hand and point, but he couldn't move. He didn't feel like he was inside his own body. It was like he was watching from somewhere far away. Steven stared at the bubble, his gaze resting on the sizable crack that had started forming. The bubble was cracking and he doubted it was Lapis's doing.

As Steven stared, more cracks appeared on the bubble's surface. He locked eyes with Jasper. They alone noticed what was going on. Everyone else was focused on Lapis. Steven realized there was a conversation going on, but he didn't hear a word of it. He just continued to stare at the bubble, watching as even more cracks appeared on the massive pink sphere that had become Jasper's prison. But it looked as if it was going to stop being a prison very soon.

Jasper had her hand pressed against the bubble. Realizing that her freedom was closer than she'd expected, she was grinning like a shark.

Steven's head spun. What was happening? The bubble had been fine less than thirty minutes ago. Why was it cracking now? Was it just bad fortune finding them yet again? Steven didn't know how he'd formed the bubble in the first place. As usual, his magic was proving itself very unpredictable and unreliable.

Then the bubble simply evaporated. Steven had expected something more dramatic, but the entire thing was very subdued. It happened so quietly that it took a second for everyone else to notice that Jasper was free. They were all so used to the bubble's existence that its absence didn't immediately register.

Connie was the first—after Steven—to notice. She immediately reached for her sword, only to realize that it wasn't there. She'd left it on the floor of the storage room. It was only a few inches away, but in a situation like this it felt more like miles. Connie's mind raced as she contemplated diving for it. She hardly stood a chance against Jasper with the sword, let alone with her bare hands and maybe a couple of daggers.

“Finally,” said Jasper.

Lapis whirled around. Somehow she hadn't noticed the hulking figure standing behind her until Jasper spoke.

“No,” said Lapis.

She brandished an orb of water, her eyes filled with animosity. She'd been waiting for this confrontation. She'd fantasized about it. But fantasies were nothing compared to the real thing. Perhaps Lapis should have been scared, seeing as Jasper was so close to her. But then Lapis thought of Malachite and any semblance of fear disappeared. No matter what happened, she wasn't going to let herself disappear and become a part of Jasper. Malachite was never going to exist again.

As per usual, Steven automatically started running forward. He didn't have high hopes. Even with his shield and bubble, he couldn't do much if Lapis and Jasper actually started fighting. Fused, the two of them were powerful enough to shatter a Diamond. If they could accomplish that while working together, who could say what would happen if they fought?

But Connie grabbed Steven by the shoulders and held him back. She was officially tired of him jumping into the middle of conflict in an attempt to play peacemaker. Sure, it was admirable. But it was getting old and Steven just kept putting himself at risk. Even if her main mission was pretty much ruined at this point, Connie still had one promise she intended to keep: keeping Steven safe. If she could do that, she'd feel a little bit better about failing as a knight of the Quartz Kingdom.

Steven was about to break free of Connie's grip, but he heard a commotion outside.

“What now?” he said.

Leaving Connie and Topaz to deal with the Lapis and Jasper thing, Steven rushed out of the room to see if Centipeedle was alright. As he burst into the main room, Steven summoned his shield. He didn't know what he was going to find, but he was sure it wouldn't be good. Events had been swinging in their favor too much recently. They were due for some bad luck.

Centipeedle was frozen in the middle of the room, her arms raised as if she'd been preparing for battle. Her entire body was encased in a strange glow, like someone had thrown a spotlight on her.

Steven's heart sank. He recognized this situation. It was one he'd been in somewhat recently. He'd almost forgotten about it, the memory blown away in a violent thunderstorm of new thoughts. But now it was coming back to him, the details so fresh it could have happened minutes ago.

Aquamarine was hovering near the ceiling, her wand pointed at Centipeedle. At the sight of Steven, a malicious smirk spread across her face. She looked like a demented cartoon character. But Steven found very little humor in the look on her face. He was surprised he hadn't seen this coming. Hadn't Aquamarine swore that she would find them? Hadn't she basically promised that him and Topaz weren't going to get away with it? Aquamarine definitely wasn't the type of Gem to break a promise, especially if said promise involved revenge.

“Hello again,” she said. “Fancy seeing you here.”

She idly flicked her wand, sending Centipeedle flying across the room. Based on the look on her face, Steven could tell that he was next.


	25. Aquamarine

Aquamarine pointed her wand at Steven. He flinched, but she didn't immediately use it on him. However, she did seem to enjoy the way he automatically reacted to the wand being pointed at him. His flinch was noticeably involuntary, like his body remembered what happened the last time he tangled with Aquamarine. She thoroughly enjoyed how fearful he was in her presence. Served him right.

“Thought you could get away from me, didn't you?” she said. “Thought I wouldn't have a tracking device in my own escape pod.”

Steven's heart sank a little more, if that was even possible. _Crap_. This was all his fault. Maybe Topaz was slightly to blame, but Steven felt like the bulk of this situation was on him. He'd led Aquamarine to the very last place he wanted to have a confrontation with her. Not on this island. Not with Jasper in the other room.

“I'm sorry about your ship,” he said.

He wasn't just saying that. Considering his escape from a new vantage point, Steven was struck by guilt. Sure, Aquamarine had been keeping him prisoner and he was glad that he'd gotten away. But he'd also caused a lot of damage in the process. Steven's actions had been mostly impulsive.

Aquamarine twirled her wand, rolling her eyes. She liked it when people apologized to her—even if they hadn't done something wrong—but this one left her unimpressed. Steven himself had left her unimpressed. She had started to doubt the validity of all those stories. In fact, she was ninety-nine percent sure it was all bullshit. Steven wasn't a weapon. He was some hybrid abomination who'd pissed someone off. What a shame. If the stories had been true, he would have been Aquamarine's greatest catch.

“A little too late for that, don't you think?” said Aquamarine.

She aimed her wand right at Steven's chest, narrowing her eyes. She didn't care if Steven was completely innocent in all other respects. If it had been a simple case of mistaken identity or an error in judgment, she would have left him alone. But this foolish boy had pretty much drawn a bright red target on his chest. Aquamarine didn't care about whatever nefarious purpose—real or imagined—he might have. Steven had almost wrecked her ship and he'd insulted her dignity with his escape. The latter was a punishable offense.

“I'm sorry,” said Steven again.

But he could tell she didn't care about his apologies. She was still pointing her wand at him.

Steven took a step backward. Range wasn't a factor, but the realization that he was capable of moving—something he'd briefly forgotten in his fear—caused his magic to react to his circumstances. He felt that familiar hum deep inside of his gemstone, followed by a gentle trickle of magic that felt like a release. Steven's bubble formed around him, sealing him in a protective orb. But even with the comfort and security of the bubble, Steven didn't feel much safer.

Smirking with glee, Aquamarine pointed her wand at the bubble. She sent it—and Steven—flying through the air.

Steven braced himself, but the bubble didn't pop. It hit the wall so hard that he was sure it was going to explode, yet it didn't even crack. It just bounced off the wall and came to rest a few inches from where it had been before. Relieved, Steven almost burst out laughing. The bubble was a lot sturdier than he'd thought. He was still terrified of what Aquamarine might do to him, but at least his bubble had remained intact. Even without Topaz by her side, Aquamarine was still a force to be reckoned with.

He could hear sounds from the storage area. Based on the noises and the fact that Connie and Topaz hadn't appeared, it seemed he was on his own. He didn't want to imagine what the others were going through. Judging by the noises, Lapis was putting up some kind of fight.

But apparently Steven wasn't alone. He'd forgotten all about Centipeedle. That was understandable, since the last he'd seen of her had been her long hair as she sailed backwards. But she suddenly reappeared, evening the odds. She emerged from behind a pile of spare parts—probably the one she'd been flung into—and came charging at Aquamarine.

Aquamarine immediately turned to her new adversary, her eyebrow arched as if she'd found a fly in her tea.

“Rude,” she said.

Centipeedle found herself being lifted off the ground again. Her frozen body was thrown through the air like a ragdoll. She hit the wall hard enough to make Steven flinch. If she'd been human, that impact would have resulted in some broken bones and a concussion. Even though her body was made of light, Centipeedle took a second to recover from being slammed into the wall. She seemed dazed by the sheer abruptness of it, or perhaps she was recovering from being tossed around like a bag of flour.

Before Centipeedle could recover, Aquamarine had started hurtling spare parts at her. Aquamarine laughed as she launched a barrage at Centipeedle, forcing the other Gem to dodge and weave to avoid being struck. Aquamarine actually seemed to be enjoying herself, her flinging getting more and more spirited as Centipeedle expertly dodged her projectiles. She looked like a little kid who'd found a massive gift box under the tree. Somehow that made her even more terrifying. She seemed to derive so much joy from the battle, as if she just couldn't take any opponent seriously.

Steven wracked his brains. If Centipeedle was doing the distracting, he had to be the one doing the thinking, right? That was just fairness. But no matter how much he strained himself, a brilliant plan refused to materialize. The best he could think of was shouting for help. But if the others were busy with Lapis and possibly Jasper, who was going to come to his rescue?

There was one person who might be able to help. But Steven was going to have to make some sacrifices. He knew it was probably going to feel amazing to unburden himself. But it wasn't going to feel amazing seconds, minutes, or maybe even hours afterward. Steven knew he was going to feel shitty, hence why he'd put it off. But it wasn't as if he had a choice anymore. It was better to finally get it over with and face the consequences.

Steven raised his hand, his gaze focusing on the ring. With a weary sigh, he finally called Pearl. It was about time he told her everything.

 

* * *

 

 

Jasper held Lapis's wrist in a vice grip. She was wearing that familiar shark-like grin, the one that seemed to transform her entire face. When she was in the bubble, she'd seemed so pathetic and pitiable. Now that she was out and sporting that grin of hers, any trace of that sadness had disappeared. Jasper had become the force of malice everyone believed her to be. Even Steven would have had trouble believing she was anything other than a ruthless soldier.

“Its been too long, Lazuli,” she said.

Connie dove forward and snatched Rose's sword from the ground. She expected her sudden movement to catch Jasper's attention, but Lapis and Jasper seemed completely wrapped up in each other. Still, Connie wasn't taking any chances. She was aware that Steven had disappeared from her side, but she was focused on the scene unfolding between two extremely powerful—and grudge-holding—Gems.

“Let go of her,” said Connie.

That got their attention. At the sound of Connie's voice, both Lapis and Jasper turned to stare at her as if they'd only just become aware that they weren't alone. Lapis had an indifferent expression on her face. The look on her face suggested she wasn't at all invested in the situation, but she might have just been too scared to emote. In any case, she wasn't trying to release herself from Jasper's grip.

“Stay out of this, runt,” said Jasper.

Connie raised the sword. She knew she wasn't a runt. She was actually rather tall for her age, plus she was fairly muscular due to her training. Connie was confident that she could deadlift more than most people in her age range. Jasper might have thought Connie was just another human, but Connie had worked really hard to become something—and someone—more than that. If it was time for her to prove herself—for the seventh or eighth time in her life—she was more than ready.

“Let go of her,” she repeated, more forcefully this time.

Lapis let out a heavy sigh.

“Stay out of this,” she said. “This has nothing to do with you.”

Topaz stepped forward to stand beside Connie, brandishing her own weapon. She didn't entirely understand the situation, but she got the gist of it. That humiliating defeat was still fresh in her mind. Topaz was itching for a rematch.

But Connie put her arm out to stop Topaz from advancing. She might never be an official knight, but she wasn't going to abandon her own code of conduct. She didn't want to just rush in, sword flailing. This situation required something more delicate. Unfortunately, Connie wasn't sure what that was.

Lapis turned to look at Jasper. She still hadn't so much as wiggled the hand Jasper was gripping. This situation was familiar to her. She recalled Jasper's firm grip, the fire in Jasper's eyes and the blatant anticipation. But this time there would be no fusion dance, no exhilarating feeling of purpose beyond what a single mind could experience. Malachite was just a memory, a distant image burned into Lapis's mind. There was no Malachite anymore, just two Gems who'd made a huge mistake and were willing to do anything to forget.

“I'm not going to fuse with you,” she said.

Jasper's grin wavered. For a second, the facade dropped away and Connie could see the deep agony Jasper was doing such a bad job of hiding. When she spoke, there was a hint of desperation in her voice. She was trying to keep herself together, but Lapis's words had shaken her. Her very core was trembling as she rejected the possibility that things might not work out the way she'd anticipated.

“Come on, Lazuli,” said Jasper. “You know I can't take down the Quartz Kingdom alone and neither can you. But Malachite can do anything.”

She pulled Lapis closer. Now the desperation in her voice was even more obvious, although she tried to mask it. But Jasper wasn't fooling anyone anymore. It was very clear what she wanted and why she wanted it. Maybe Jasper didn't even realize it. She'd buried her true intentions and feelings under so many layers of pointless bravado and pride. Was she even aware of herself anymore? Could she see herself as anything other than the image she projected to cope?

“We don't even have to stay on this miserable planet,” said Jasper. “We can steal a ship. We can go back to Homeworld and take over. You think those Diamonds are any match for us? All they care about is their own colonies.”

She was getting carried away, but she didn't care.

“Think about it,” she said. “Malachite can rule this pathetic excuse for a planet. We can destroy Rose Quartz's legacy. We can finally be everything we were meant to be. Why hold back? Why keep pretending we're like all those other Gems?”

She clenched her fist, her eyes alive with excitement. Jasper hadn't been this elated in a long time. She could almost feel what it had been like to be Malachite. The feeling was impossible for her to describe, even to those who'd fused before. Even Topaz would have struggled to comprehend it. Malachite wasn't just the best parts of Jasper and the best parts of Lapis. She was a whole other being. A beast, a monster, an unstoppable force.

Lapis finally spoke. A sliver of emotion had entered her face, as if she'd finally come to terms with what was happening. She too was thinking of Malachite, but not in the way Jasper was. While Jasper might have struggled to describe the feeling, Lapis had spent thousands of years detailing it to herself. Being Malachite was like having a chain wrapped around her throat. Every time Lapis tried to move, tried to become more than this bare husk of herself, she felt the cold metal of the chain pressed against her throat. Then she would recoil, her anger rippling through the chain that held her in place. She was trapped, but somehow it didn't feel like being trapped. It had just been a cacophony of emotions, screaming and sobbing inside of her head until Lapis was forced to pull even harder against the chain.

“I don't want to do any of that,” said Lapis. “It's over, Jasper. Malachite lost.”

Jasper suddenly let go of Lapis's wrist. Connie and Topaz tensed, waiting for the real battle to begin. But although Jasper's face was twisted in rage, she seemed to also be experiencing a wide range of emotion. Agony, astonishment, horror. There might have even been some relief thrown in there, some buried realization about herself that caused her to at least subconsciously realize the flaw in her actions.

Jasper reached towards Lapis as if she was going to grab her again, but her hand stopped short and fell limply to her side. She was crying, huge tears pouring out of her eyes and streaming down her cheeks.

“But..,” she started.

She shoved an arm against her face, roughly wiping away the tears. She could hardly put her feelings into words. When she finally gathered her thoughts and spoke, she did so in a loud voice that made everyone else in the room jump.

“What am I supposed to do?” she said.

The question came out more pathetically than she intended. Jasper almost choked on the words. She couldn't believe she was being so pathetic. What would Pink Diamond have said if she'd seen Jasper like this? Her strong, confident, beautiful Quartz soldier—Pink Diamond's words—bawling and being dramatic. This wasn't the Gem Pink Diamond had trusted above all others. But then again, Jasper hadn't been that Gem for a long time. She'd stopped being that Gem the day she chose to shatter the one good thing in her life.

Lapis crossed her arms.

“I don't care what you do,” she said. “Just stay away from me.”

Connie and Topaz again expected a violent reaction, but Jasper instead looked completely defeated. The tears still falling down her face, she fell to her knees. Jasper slammed her fists against the floor, causing the entire room to shake. Her shoulders shaking with sobs, she again pressed her arm to her face and tried to wipe away her tears. But the tears just kept coming, resisting Jasper's attempts at stemming the flow. The more she tried to hold them back, the worse her sobs became.

Connie wanted to comfort Jasper, but she stayed where she was. Regardless of how miserable Jasper was acting, she felt like approaching her would be akin to walking up to a bear with a cup of hot chocolate. A nice gesture, but probably not very effective. Kind words weren't really what Jasper needed. Jasper needed something that Connie couldn't give her.

How had Jasper ended up on this island to begin with? Or rather, how had Jasper's gemstone ended up in a locked container on this island? Who had put her there and why? Connie wanted to ask all of those questions, but she knew Jasper wouldn't answer her.

Someone had wanted Jasper out of the way. It seemed like the most efficient way for the true culprit to remain unsuspected. The natural assumption would be that Jasper had become unusually stealthy. No one would suspect that someone else was using her as a smokescreen. If this was true, they had a much bigger threat to the Quartz Kingdom. Someone who was strong enough to poof Jasper and clever enough to have planned this entire thing.

Connie frowned. Who was strong enough to poof Jasper, smart enough to orchestrate this, and bore a grudge against the kingdom? No one immediately came to mind, but there was something nagging at the edge of Connie's brain. There was something she should have realized earlier, something big. But what was it? What was she missing?

Then it hit her. _The Rubies_. Maybe not individually, but together. If they'd fused, taking out Jasper would have been easy. Five Gems fused together vs. one lone Quartz soldier who'd probably been caught off guard? It wouldn't have been a fair fight.

But it couldn't have actually been the Rubies, right? Connie had known them for a long time. She knew none of them were particularly cunning. Even Eyeball wouldn't have been able to come up with something this intricate. Eyeball had also been loyal to Pink Diamond. She could have been persuaded to help someone carry out their own revenge. So there had to be someone else. Someone even further behind the scenes.

Connie almost slapped her forehead. Of course. That made perfect sense. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Without realizing it, Connie had been limiting herself. She'd been focusing on one or two singular points, her mind refusing to zoom out enough to see the whole picture. Now that she had everything laid out before her, it seemed pretty obvious. She had to remember that all of them—even Connie to some extent—had lied about one thing or another. They were all guilty of hiding or distorting the truth for their own gain. But if they were all guilty of lying, it meant that whichever one of them seemed to be telling the whole truth was lying as well.

Connie turned and ran out of the room. What had she been thinking? She should have immediately noticed that Steven was gone. She should have followed him. It didn't matter if the Quartz Kingdom would never recognize her as an actual knight. She knew there was at least one person in her life who would: Steven.

As she entered the main room, Connie stopped in her tracks. She gaped, completely floored by the chaos she'd just walked into. Had every single person they'd met on their journey decided to show up on this particular island? The only ones missing were Amethyst and Peridot. Given how things were going, Connie wouldn't have batted an eyelid if either of them had shown up out of the blue.

But as shocked as she was to see Aquamarine, she quickly shoved it out of her mind. Aquamarine wasn't her concern. There was someone else she needed to confront.

Fortunately, Steven was safe and sound in his bubble. In the heat of their battle, Centipeedle and Aquamarine had forgotten all about him. Connie only spared him a glance. Once she was certain he was safe, her mind turned to other matters.

Aquamarine was waving her wand around, alternating between throwing Centipeedle through the air and flinging anything even slightly heavy at her adversary. They'd both gotten tired of this a while ago, but Aquamarine was keeping at it out of sheer spite. Centipeedle was a lot faster and more nimble than Aquamarine had anticipated. If someone didn't intervene, this could have gone on indefinitely. It wasn't that they were evenly matched. It was simply that Centipeedle was good at dodging—although she did so very clumsily—and Aquamarine could only pick up one thing at a time with her wand. But Centipeedle was going to slip up sometime. Aquamarine was ready to finally bring this nonsense to an end.

“Centipeedle!” Connie shouted.

Centipeedle ducked to avoid Aquamarine's latest projectile, then turned to stare at Connie. It was a bad move on her part. All it took was one split second. As soon as Centipeedle was distracted, a triumphant smirk spread across Aquamarine's face. She raised her wand again and aimed it at Centipeedle.

Connie did something so impulsive and ridiculous that she almost thought she hadn't really done it. She briefly refused to believe that she'd done something so outlandishly dumb. The entire thing seemed to happen on some other plane of existence, with Connie standing outside of reality and watching someone who looked strikingly similar to her. But then she blinked and realized that it wasn't her imagination playing tricks on her. She really had flung herself across the room, abandoning her sword in her desperate lunge. She really had tackled Aquamarine to the ground. And now Connie was standing on top of the struggling Gem, using her entire body to pin the much smaller Gem to the floor.

“Let go of me,” said Aquamarine.

She opened her mouth to yell Topaz's name, but she stopped herself. Oh right. Her faithful henchman had decided she was better off with the hybrid abomination. It was just Aquamarine now. But Connie had knocked the wand out of her hand, leaving her completely defenseless. Humiliated and defeated, Aquamarine let out a string of profanity. She was already formulating a deal in her head: if Steven and his friends promised to never tell anyone about this, Aquamarine would vow to leave them alone. There were more important things than bringing in a target.

Connie didn't know what else to do, so she continued pinning Aquamarine to the floor. She was afraid that if her grip even slightly relaxed, Aquamarine would scramble out from under her like an angry cat and dive for the wand. Connie felt a little proud of herself. This was the first time she'd taken down a Gem with her bare hands. Granted, it wasn't as if Aquamarine was particularly powerful without her wand.

Centipeedle got to her feet. Without a word, she picked up Aquamarine's dropped wand. She held it up, regarding it with curiosity. It was a sophisticated piece of Gem tech. Centipeedle was torn between breaking it in half and keeping it intact. She really didn't want to destroy such a captivating piece of technology. Shaking her head, Centipeedle turned to look at Connie. She gave Connie an appreciative grin.

“I guess I owe you,” she said.

Connie didn't return Centipeedle's smile. She could feel anger burning in her chest. She'd been angry before, but this was new. Connie didn't think she'd ever been filled with so much ire, let alone rage aimed at another living being.

“You owe the entire Quartz Kingdom for what you did,” she said.

Centipeedle looked startled and afraid for a moment. She tried to mask her guilt with a look of confusion, but it was too late. The truth was written all over her face. She clearly wasn't an accomplished liar. She could tell stories easily, but she'd crumple as soon as someone applied the right amount of pressure. But Connie had never really pressed Centipeedle. She'd never asked any probing follow-up questions.

“Steven could have been hurt or worse,” said Connie.

She was glad that she was focusing on keeping Aquamarine trapped. If her hands had been free, she might have done something she would regret. It kind of freaked her out to realize how much she'd come to care for Steven in such a short time. Was it just because she'd promised to protect him? No, it was more than that. Steven was the kind of friend Connie had always needed, but she hadn't realized it until a day or so ago.

Centipeedle hung her head, a rueful smile on her face.

“Do I get to explain myself?” she said.

Connie didn't answer. She really didn't give a shit either way. There was no explanation Centipeedle could give that would make everything okay.

Centipeedle turned the wand around in her hands. If she'd wanted, she could have used it. She'd handled these types of devices before and she had a pretty good idea how to operate them. But even though Centipeedle could have, she didn't. She just fiddled with it. Centipeedle wanted to show Connie that she didn't intend to do anything rash. She had done a lot of rash things in a very short time span and she was regretting each and every one of them. She decided it was about time she stopped fighting.

“I'm sorry,” she said.

She knew her apology didn't mean anything at this point, but it felt good to say it.


	26. Centipeedle

Steven was only slightly aware of what was going on outside his bubble. He was finally getting the alone time he deserved. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to withdraw, but Centipeedle seemed to be doing fine without him. It wasn't like he had isolated himself like this for no good reason.

His story finished, he waited for Pearl to say something. He thought he'd covered all the details. Steven had probably left out a few things, but all the important stuff was there. He hadn't even paused long enough to mentally prepare himself for each big reveal. He'd just blurted it all out, only stopping long enough to take a deep breath before barreling forward. He'd watched Pearl's face, noting how she went from disbelieving to worried and then finally landing on shocked.

When Pearl had just been standing there with her hand over her mouth for a whole minute, Steven decided he had to break the silence.

“You have to tell me about my mom and Pink Diamond,” he said. “Please. You know I deserve to know the truth.”

Pearl slowly lowered her hand. She'd been dreading this moment. Despite what she might think of Steven, Pearl thought he should at least know what he was getting into. He'd seemed like such an innocent kid, his head full of false ideas about Rose Quartz. She somewhat pitied him. Rose Quartz was a hard act to follow and Steven hadn't exactly proved himself right away.

“It sounds like you already know,” she said. “I'm not sure there's anything else.”

Steven couldn't disagree with her. He did know pretty much everything about the situation. But there was one thing that had been bothering him and only Pearl could put it to rest.

“What was Pink Diamond like?” he said.

Pearl looked away. As an unspoken rule, they never actually talked about Pink Diamond. All of that was in the past. But that wasn't really the case, was it? Even centuries after her shattering, what was left of Pink Diamond seemed to permeate the air. She'd left a lot behind and very little of it was good. Pearl and the others had been trying to clean up the mess for a long time.

“We didn't know,” said Pearl. “But when we saw that... _thing_...for the first time, we realized what she'd been doing.”

Steven looked confused. Pearl seemed to be talking about something that was completely unrelated to his question.

“What thing?” he said.

Pearl shuddered. Even after all this time, the memory still revolted her. For her, the worst part had been the slow realization. She hadn't processed what she was seeing at first. But then it had hit her, like a shard of ice through her chest.

“It was like a nightmare,” she said. “We'd all heard stories about fusion experiments, but we didn't think it was true. We didn't want to believe that this was the fate of every Gem who'd ever been shattered.”

Steven suddenly felt sick. He touched his stomach, taking comfort in the glow of his gemstone. But his hand quivered. Was he feeling what his mother had felt all those centuries ago? Had she felt the exact same revulsion and shock that he was experiencing?

“Why would Pink Diamond do that?” he said.

Pearl sighed.

“Greed, Steven,” she said. “She wanted the entire Earth, not just her own settlement. And she was prepared to do anything to get what she wanted. The experiments were only the beginning. She had something bigger planned, but before she could execute it...”

She stopped. There was no need for her to finish that sentence. They both knew how Pink Diamond's story had ended. Just like everyone else, Pearl had been hesitant. She knew they had to do something, but how could they hope to stand up to a Diamond? But Pearl had believed in Rose. Their plan had been desperate at best and they had a lot to lose, but Pearl had looked into Rose's eyes and seen nothing but victory. Pearl was willing to do anything for the Gem who'd inspired her to become more than just a Pearl.

There was stuff going on outside, but Steven wasn't paying any attention.

 

* * *

 

Centipeedle smiled bitterly. She'd been holding in that apology for ages. Once things slipped out of her control, the only thing Centipeedle wanted to do was express her remorse. But doing that would have involved admitting everything she'd done. As guilty as she felt, Centipeedle hadn't been ready to do that. She never would have been ready, but Connie had forced it out of her. She was both relieved and deeply sad about the friendship she was about to ruin. But hadn't it been ruined long before it even began?

“I was corrupted,” she said. “Everyone else gave up on me, but Rose Quartz healed me. She even gave me a new name.”

Connie raised her eyebrows. That explained the whole “Centipeedle” thing. She'd always thought that was a weird name for a Gem.

“What does that have to do with Steven?” she said.

Aquamarine had stopped struggling, making Connie's task much easier. She'd even let her grip loosen ever so slightly. But she still hadn't let go. Even with Aquamarine's weapon in Centipeedle's hands, Connie didn't trust the situation. One wrong move and they'd be right back where they started.

“I owe her a lot,” said Centipeedle. “I should be grateful, shouldn't I?”

She pointed the wand at bubbled Steven, but she didn't activate it.

“I believed in her,” said Centipeedle. “But she was just a traitor and a liar. She told me that things would be better after Pink Diamond was gone, but they were so much worse.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“Rose never had to suffer like we did,” she said. “She just used us to get what she wanted.”

They'd done everything Rose asked. And what had they gotten in return? They'd been trapped, broken, left to live with what they'd done. Perhaps they'd done the right thing in the end, but the cost had been worse than any of them had expected. Despite how she'd distanced herself from them afterward, Centipeedle had actually cared about those other Gems. But her belief in Rose Quartz had blinded her, causing her to become reckless. That was how she'd ended up with a cracked gemstone, her mind split open and her physical form unstable as she wandered around in search of sanctuary. But there hadn't been anyone to help her. Thanks to Rose Quartz, Centipeedle had been alone. She'd ended up corrupted because her gemstone remained cracked for so long.

“How do you know that?” said Connie. “Did she ever actually say that?”

Centipeedle gave Connie a pitying smile.

“No, I guess she didn't,” she said. “I've realized a lot of things lately. But it's a little too late for me to be sorry, isn't it?”

Her attention was snatched by the sound of a bubble popping. She knew what it was without even looking, but she turned to look anyway. It was all out there. Her full confession, perhaps lacking one or two details. She was going to accept whatever happened next. Centipeedle hadn't expected revenge to be so bittersweet.

Steven walked towards them. If he was surprised or alarmed by the scene before him, he hid it well. He didn't slow down, even as he passed Connie and Aquamarine. He barely glanced at Centipeedle or the wand in her hands. He was acting like he was the only person of importance in the room.

“I'm taking Aquamarine's ship,” he said.

This announcement set off another bout of flailing and protesting from Aquamarine. There was no way Steven knew how to fly a ship, especially one that was still slightly damaged. Aquamarine was horrified at the thought of her precious ship in the hands of a complete novice. She struggled fiercely, but Connie's grip only tightened. She shouted out various threats, but they went unheard.

Connie knew full well that Steven couldn't fly a ship, but he left the room before she could say anything. She hesitated, contemplating letting go of Aquamarine and going after him. She didn't really have a choice, did she? Steven seemed to be in a weird mood. Honestly, she was a little scared by it. Steven didn't seem like the type of guy who had weird moods very often.

Reluctantly, Connie released Aquamarine. The small Gem instantly sprang to her feet. But standing up didn't make her look anymore intimidating. If anything, it made her look the opposite. Without her wand, her intimidation factor completely evaporated. Realizing this, she whirled to face Centipeedle. She hadn't been paying any attention to what Connie and Centipeedle had been blathering on about, but she did recognize her wand in Centipeedle's hands.

“I'll take that,” she said.

Calmly, Centipeedle pointed the wand at Aquamarine and activated it. The expression of disbelief froze on Aquamarine's face. It was an ironic and comical sight. To think Aquamarine had been bested by her own technology. She probably regretted following Steven and Topaz to this island. Nothing good had come of it.

Connie didn't have time to think about Centipeedle, Aquamarine, or any of the others. She did glance in the direction of the storage room. No one had emerged and everything seemed calm. But wasn't that in itself a sign that something was amiss? Connie wanted to make sure Topaz was handling everything. She trusted Topaz to an extent, but Lapis and Jasper in a room together seemed like a recipe for disaster. The fact that things had been so quiet worried her. However, Connie's mind was filled with images of Steven's failed attempts at piloting the ship. She had to choose a priority and Steven seemed like the most obvious one.

She ran out of the base. Connie had her sword with her, even though she wasn't expecting to have to use it. She was hoping that Steven wasn't really trying to fly a Gem ship. That couldn't end well.

 

* * *

 

 

Jasper had been slumped in the corner for several minutes. She hadn't so much as lifted her head since Connie left. She hadn't even known it was possible to feel this terrible. Defeat was such a foreign feeling by itself. This crushing sense of loss and pain was something altogether more crippling. Jasper truly had no idea what she was supposed to do. If Lapis refused to fuse with her, what was left? She only had her guilt and anguish.

The decision had been so abrupt. She'd barely paid attention to her own actions. It had happened so fast: the discovery of the fusion experiments, the realization of where some of the shards had come from, the utter horror, the feeling of betrayal, the battle between two different loyalties. Jasper made her decision before she was even aware she was making it. By the time she actually assessed what she was doing, it was too late. Becoming Malachite had sealed her actions.

Lapis was sitting in another corner of the room. The feeling of the wall against her back was comforting to her. It was something solid that she could focus on. She knew she should have been trying to get as far away from Jasper as possible. But Lapis couldn't bring herself to move. She was mentally drained.

Topaz was looking from Jasper to Lapis. She was unsure of what she was supposed to do. Keep an eye on them? That seemed like the kind of thing Steven would have advised. But neither of them were doing anything. It was rather boring.

Fortunately, something finally happened. Topaz had been standing right in front of the door, barring either of them from leaving. It would have felt like she was keeping them prisoner, but neither of them were making any attempt to get past her. She was a bored warden watching over two indifferent inmates.

Lapis stood up. Her disinterested gaze flicked over to Jasper for a second, then she turned and started towards the door. She seemed nonplussed by the massive wall of a Gem blocking her exit.

Uncertain but unwilling to start a fight, Topaz stepped aside to let Lapis out. As Lapis passed her, it occurred to Topaz that she really didn't need to do this. She'd given herself this task simply because she wanted something to do. Guarding was something she'd always been good at, so why not? But Topaz wasn't obligated to adopt this familiar role just because she'd once believed it was the only thing she was good for. Startled, Topaz realized that she was officially a free agent. She had a whole future ahead of her, a future without Aquamarine or the chains of her given position. If she wanted to, she could follow Steven back to the Quartz Kingdom and become a baker. Topaz wasn't sure what baking entailed, but it had always sounded like a fun way to pass the time.

Her eyes sparkling with exhilaration, Topaz backed out of the storage room. Forget Jasper. If she gave them any trouble, she was firmly outnumbered. Topaz wanted to ask Steven if he could teach her how to bake.

Upon reaching the main room, Topaz froze. Her excitement receded like a wave from the shore, her smile drooping as she came across the bizarre scene. How had she not seen this coming? It had been supremely dumb of her to assume that she could have everything she wanted while Aquamarine was out there. Aquamarine was like a force of nature. She was drawn to Topaz like a moth to a flame and vice versa. On some level they detested each other, but they always found one another in the end.

“Is that...?” said Topaz.

As if it could have been anyone else. Even trussed up like a common criminal, Aquamarine was still entirely recognizable. That smirk gave her away.

“Hello again,” said Aquamarine. “Would you mind untying me?”

Ignoring the question, Topaz turned to Centipeedle. She had a thousand things she wanted to ask, but she realized that she didn't actually care about most of it. How Aquamarine had got there was irrelevant. How she'd found Topaz was irrelevant. Why she was tied up was irrelevant, although Topaz could have guessed the reason for that. She instead asked a much simpler and more direct question.

“What are you going to do with her?” she said.

Centipeedle was examining the wand again, running her fingers along the surface with a look of muted fascination. The wand had proved itself a pretty good distraction. She was fascinated by how nice it felt in her hands. It gave her a sense of power and control that she'd been missing for thousands of years. No wonder this was Aquamarine's weapon of choice. Just holding it made Centipeedle feel like she could destroy everything around her.

“Make her promise to leave us alone,” said Centipeedle. “Then I'll let her go.”

Aquamarine spoke up again, sounding very incredulous and frustrated.

“What makes you think I want to have anything to do with you?” she said.

This was the first time she'd ever wanted to escape from her target. She no longer cared about apprehending Steven, especially seeing as the reward was no longer up for grabs. She had been holding out hope that Centipeedle would pay up anyway, but she'd finally accepted that it wasn't going to happen. Without the promise of compensation, Aquamarine had no reason to stick around or continue her hunt. She just wanted to go home and forget she'd ever gotten roped into—both literally and figuratively—this mess.

“And you'll let us take your ship?” said Centipeedle.

Aquamarine's demeanor instantly changed.

“Over my shards!” she said. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to build that ship? Do you have any idea how much scavenging Topaz had to do? That ship is one-of-a-kind. Do you really think I'd let you and that abomination have it?”

Centipeedle tapped Aquamarine's head with the wand. She smiled at the outrage on Aquamarine's face.

“Then we'll leave you here,” she said.

Aquamarine struggled against her bonds, but Centipeedle was no amateur when it came to ropes. She was barely able to wiggle a finger, let alone back up the threatening look on her face with an aggressive gesture. Even if she hadn't been tied up, she was still pretty much helpless without her wand and Topaz. But even though she couldn't stand the idea of being left on that island, Aquamarine's expression abruptly changed. It shifted from anger to a satisfied smirk.

“You think I'm the one getting left behind?” she said. “Do you honestly believe they're going to take you with them?”

Centipeedle's smile faltered. She hadn't thought of that. Fiddling with the wand really had been the perfect distraction. She was able to forget about her betrayal, her emotional agony, and the inevitable consequences. But now that Aquamarine had said it, Centipeedle realized the full scope of what she'd done. The Rubies might escape punishment—they'd basically just been tricked into doing her bidding—but Centipeedle was another story.

She looked in the direction of the storage area where only Jasper remained. She'd seen Lapis leave the building a few moments ago.

“No, they're not,” she said.

She spoke slowly, her mind beginning to race. She had nothing to lose anymore. Her crew would probably want nothing to do with her anymore, the Quartz Kingdom would be less than welcoming, and none of her new friends trusted her. Centipeedle had hit rock bottom. There was only one place she could go, but she wasn't quite sure it was up.


	27. One Last Dance

Despite his announcement to the contrary, Steven hadn't actually been intending to fly Aquamarine's ship. He did consider it briefly once he was inside. After he figured out the lock, his confidence grew and he began to wonder if operating one of these behemoths was easier than it looked. However, another look at the baffling Gem tech convinced him otherwise. Steven had no doubt that he could learn how to operate one of those things, but he doubted he could teach himself in ten minutes.

When Connie found him, he was sitting in what he supposed was the cockpit. He was leaning back in his chair, his arms dangling at his sides as he stared at the ceiling. He didn't turn around as Connie came into the room, but he also didn't seem startled to find her standing next to him. Steven's expression shifted ever so slightly, but he otherwise didn't indicate that he was aware of her.

Connie placed her hand on the back of Steven's chair. They were both kids, weren't they? Kids who had even less of an idea about what they were doing. No amount of playing with swords or going out on dangerous adventures was going to change that simple fact. But Connie felt much younger. She no longer knew if becoming a knight was worthwhile. But if it wasn't, Connie had wasted several years of her life and fought with her parents for nothing.

“It's not your fault,” she said.

She couldn't see inside Steven's head, but she thought it was something he needed to hear.

Steven sat up a little straighter. Aquamarine's chair was too small for him, but he hardly registered how uncomfortable he felt. He hadn't been thinking about any of that when he first plopped down into the chair. The only thing on his mind was escape. He'd wanted to leave, first the building itself and then the entire island. If Steven had been able to fly the ship, things would have been so much easier. He could have zipped over to the Quartz Kingdom, grabbed his dad, and fled to some distant part of the world. Maybe Greg wouldn't have agreed to something like that, but Steven was perfectly willing to go by himself if his dad wasn't on board. Now that Connie was there, Steven realized that getting away wasn't what he actually wanted.

“I know,” he said.

He paused. After all this time, Connie was still the only person who seemed to intimately understand his struggles. Steven had expected to be more connected to the Gems by now. But although he empathized with them, they couldn't really grasp everything going on in Steven's head. Connie was the only one who came close to being in Steven's position.

“I want to go home,” he said.

Connie immediately realized he wasn't talking about the Quartz Kingdom. Steven didn't really consider that place his home, even though he was connected to it. It wasn't where Steven had grown up. All of his best memories lived in the house where he'd spent most of his life. The Quartz Kingdom housed only confusion, sorrow, and guilt.

Forget the Quartz Kingdom. Forget his destiny. Steven didn't need any of that. He didn't need to be Steven Quartz Universe. He could just be Steven Universe.

But then he actually turned and looked at Connie. She didn't say anything in response, but he could tell by the look on her face that she was saddened by his words. Steven didn't entirely get it at first. He thought she was miserable at the thought of having to return to her home—the Quartz Kingdom—and face the fact that she would never become a knight. But Steven realized that Connie no longer cared about that. No, there was something else bothering her. Something to do with him.

Connie took a moment, but she finally verbalized her feelings. She'd held back, convinced Steven would see her as selfish if she revealed what was on her mind. But screw it. Steven deserved to know what was going on inside her head, regardless of how it changed his perception of her.

“I don't want you to leave,” said Connie. “You're the best and only friend I've ever had. If you left, I'd be alone again.”

She looked away, blushing. She couldn't believe she'd said all of that out loud. Steven hadn't known he was her only friend. Now he knew what a loser she was, or so Connie bitterly told herself.

Steven jumped out of his chair. For a second he just stood there, half-relieved at escaping from the ill-sized chair and half-surprised at the assuredness in his actions. That was what had been missing this entire time: confidence in his own actions. Even when things went his way, it had felt like a brief high before Steven remembered that he had no idea what he was doing. But he did know what he was doing. Connie had shown him the way.

Without hesitation, Steven grabbed Connie and hugged her. She was so shocked that she merely stood there, her cheeks red and her eyes filled with astonishment. It took a moment for her to raise her arms and return the hug. She'd felt so cold and lost before, but Steven's hugs were warm and comforting. It was like hugging a big teddy bear.

“I don't really have any friends either,” said Steven. “But that's okay. You have me and I have you. We don't need anyone else.”

They hugged each other tighter as they both began to cry. Steven never wanted to leave this moment. Maybe if they just stayed like this forever, everything would be okay.

Steven could feel his gemstone pulsing, but he didn't care what it was doing. He let himself be swept away in Connie's embrace, his heart pounding as the tears fell down his cheeks. Steven never wanted to be alone again. He felt this deep in his heart, flowing through his veins and warming his entire body. He was never going to be alone again, no matter what happened. He had Connie.

He was being pulled deeper and deeper into Connie's hug. He should have let go, but she was just so warm. He shut his eyes, letting himself fall. They were the only two people in the world. This moment was the only one that mattered. Steven absorbed these feelings, letting them radiate from his core. He descended inside himself, inside his own mind. Steven could feel Connie's heartbeat, her thoughts, her emotions. He descended faster and faster, light and heat rushing past him as he fell into the depths of his own brain.

Steven opened his eyes. For a second, he'd felt completely weightless. He'd felt as if he'd ascended beyond physical form. But now that his mind steadied, he realized that he was sitting on the floor. He must have blacked out or something. He didn't remember sitting down. More importantly, where was Con— _STEVEN_ —where was Steven? Where did he— _CONNIE_ —go?

_Steven? What? Where? No, this isn't... Connie? Yes, this is Connie. Wait, no. Steven, how did you...? Connie?_

He looked down into his—Connie's?—lap. He saw his gemstone, but everything else was wrong. Legs. Long and rather buff legs, but the skin tone was different. He— _they, she, Connie_ —was...taller? Yes, taller. Buffer. Larger. He— _Connie, she, someone else_ —raised a hand to his— _Connie's, hers, his_ —face and examined it. Much larger. And the hair. He— _she, Connie_ —could feel it cascading wildly down their shoulders. Much longer, much more unruly. But his hair had always been a bit unruly, hadn't it? But there were curls. Her curls, his curls, their curls. Long and unruly curls.

“Steven, what's happening?” he said, but the voice wasn't his own.

It was her voice, his voice, their voice. _They. Them_.

“I don't know,” they said. “I just... _wait_.”

They tried to stand up, but found their left and right leg refusing to operate in tandem. They managed to force themselves into a sort of awkward crab-like position, desperately thrusting themselves upward in an attempt to stand. They lunged forward and grabbed onto the tiny chair—the chair seemed to have shrunk even more—for balance. With extreme effort, they managed to pull themselves to their feet. But even standing up, they couldn't quite get their limbs to work the way they should have. They desperately flailed around, trying to find something to hold onto.

“I'm sorry!” they said. “I'll leave. Okay? I'll... No, wait. You don't have to. I was just.. What is this?”

They examined their arms and legs. They were definitely a lot bigger. Steven was used to being rather large and buff for his age, but this was entirely new. They felt like a giant, especially in the presence of Aquamarine's tiny chair.

“Am I a _fusion_?” they said. “How is this even possible?”

They touched the sides of their face. This was impossible. Steven didn't even know he was capable of fusion, let alone with a human. How had it even happened? They definitely hadn't done it on purpose. Steven had just been thinking about how he wanted to stay with Connie forever because she was the best friend he'd ever had.

They paused, a surprised look on their face.

“Wait, do you really think that?” they said.

They nodded.

“Of course I do,” they said. “I've never really had a friend before.”

They raised their eyebrow.

“Wait, really?” they said. “But you're so Steven. I mean, I'm Steven. We're Steven. Steven? Connie? Stevonnie?”

They smiled. They liked the sound of that. _Stevonnie_. Not quite Steven, not quite Connie. Something—someone—brand new, excited and ready to explore the world. An experience. A revolutionary creation. They didn't care if it was permanent. It was just nice to be together, nice to be Stevonnie. It felt right.

“What do we do?” said Stevonnie. “Should we show the others?”

There was a loud banging noise from outside, followed by a series of impacts that caused the ship to shake.

Stevonnie jumped back in surprise, landing unsteadily but managing to stay on their feet. What the hell was that? An earthquake? No, that couldn't have been it. It sounded more like something massive had just fallen a few feet away.

They sprinted out of the ship. They grabbed Rose's sword on the way out, not giving much thought to whether or not they'd have to use it. The feeling of it in their hand gave them confidence. Not because it was a weapon, but because of its significance. This was the weapon of the Quartz Kingdom.

They were expecting to find their friends locked in a full-scale battle with Jasper. Or worse: their friends locked in a full-scale battle with Malachite. Whatever it was, Stevonnie expected it to be Jasper-related. They weren't sure what they planned to do. At least they had numbers on their side.

Fortunately, it wasn't Malachite. It certainly looked like how Stevonnie had imagined Malachite, but some obvious details were off. It took a minute of gaping dumbly for them to realize that it couldn't possibly be Malachite. Unfortunately, even though it wasn't the fusion who'd shattered a Diamond, it was still a huge monster the size of the ship Stevonnie had just left. It definitely wasn't Malachite, but this fusion had about the same intimidation factor. It was like encountering a nightmare in the wild.

“Centipeedle?” said Stevonnie.

The gemstone where her eye should have been was a dead giveaway. The second gemstone—this one residing where her nose should have been—perfectly explained the situation. Not quite Centipeedle, not quite Jasper. Something new, something twice as dangerous as either of them. Maybe even more powerful than Malachite, although Stevonnie hoped not. Jasper and Centipeedle had become Tiger Eye.

Topaz was circling Tiger Eye's feet like an agitated cinderblock. She was holding her weapon like she was ready to strike, but she was clearly outmatched. Tiger Eye had her beat in both the limbs department and the size department. Twice as many eyes, two sets of arms and legs, plus a luxurious and unruly mane that almost swept the ground as she walked. Tiger Eye was quite a sight to behold. Next to her, Topaz was basically an ant. Nevertheless, Topaz was doing her very best to at least act like she had a chance. At the very least, she was doing a good job of keeping Tiger Eye's attention.

Lion appeared beside Stevonnie. He was rather grumpy, Tiger Eye having interrupted his third nap of the day.

Without a second thought, Stevonnie hopped onto Lion's back. It just seemed like the natural thing to do. In the books, there was always a scene featuring the hero or heroine riding their glorious stallion into battle. Lion was no stallion, but he was a decent substitute.

“For...um..,” Stevonnie started.

Fortunately, Lion charged forward before Stevonnie could get hung up on their botched battle cry. They weren't certain who or what they were fighting for anymore. The Quartz Kingdom? Greg? Gemkind as a whole? Their friends? That last one sounded about right.

Stevonnie raised their sword. As they closed in on Tiger Eye, it occurred to them that they needed a plan. A real plan with bullet points and everything. Unfortunately, charging directly at the threat was the extent of their planning. Their thoughts blurred and ran together, forming pools of interconnected ideas. By the time they were inches away from one of Tiger Eye's massive legs, Stevonnie felt like their brain had turned to goo.

“What am I doing?” they said aloud.

Either Tiger Eye heard them or she finally noticed the massive pink lion standing near her ankle. Whatever the cause, she finally tore her eyes away from Topaz. All four of her eyes focused on the comparatively minuscule Gem-human hybrid staring up at her. She looked confused for a second, then her brain finally kicked into gear and she realized who she was looking at.

“ _Steven_ ,” she said.

Stevonnie had expected Tiger Eye's voice to be a deep guttural growl. They definitely looked like the kind of creature who would have sounded like something from the depths of a nightmare. But they sounded more like a miserable specter haunting an empty house. The top set of eyes—Jasper's—were alive with a series of emotions that didn't quite fit the bottom set.

“This is the only way,” said Tiger Eye.

She raised her foot as if she intended to squash Stevonnie like a bug.

Stevonnie stared up at the gigantic foot, frozen in horror. They couldn't even think about getting out of the way. They just stared as the foot slowly descended towards them, the shadow of it slowly engulfing the space around them. They could feel the magic pulsing in their gemstone, another brand new feeling to join the multitude of unfamiliar sensations and emotions. They felt the bubble forming around them, encasing them and Lion in its translucent pink protection.

Tiger Eye's foot paused in midair. She froze in this absurd position, her foot inches from the bubble. Her face was twisted into some unrecognizable emotion. Both sets of eyes seemed out of sync with each other, one more blatantly displaying misery while the other seemed to display confusion.

“ _No_ ,” said Tiger Eye.

She spoke firmly, her foot trembling. She slowly brought it down, but not on top of Stevonnie. It came to rest on the ground less than an inch away from its original target. Breathing somewhat heavily, Tiger Eye shoved her hands into her hair and bent her head. Both sets of eyes were now filled with anguish.

“No,” she said. “This isn't what I want to be. This isn't who we want to be.”

She shook her head violently.

“I don't understand,” she said. “It's not working. Why isn't it working?”

She let out a cry of frustration. Fusion was supposed to help her forget. It was the chance to become something entirely new. But for some reason, that wasn't what had happened. It was all still in there. The memories, the pain, the betrayal. She tried to lose herself, to become someone else. But Tiger Eye could feel herself becoming more fragmented the harder she tried. She was only two, but she felt like a hundred crammed into one.

“I'm sorry,” she said. “I can't be in here. Not with you.”

She took a huge step backwards, light oozing out from her form. She tried to keep it together, but it was no use. Tiger Eye held onto what she could, grasping and scrambling inside her own mind in a desperate attempt to keep herself whole. She could feel herself splitting. It was an agony she couldn't quite describe. She wasn't even sure which part of her was experiencing the agony and which part was more focused on holding herself together. The harder Tiger Eye tried to remain as one, the faster she became two.

Stevonnie watched Jasper and Centipeedle separate. The descent seemed to happen in slow motion. The two Gems fell like birds who had just lost their wings. Limp and hollow, searching desperately for a memory of flight that did not exist.

Topaz was frozen in place, her weapon above her head. She'd released Aquamarine and the other Gem had fled at the sight of this newest threat. Topaz hadn't let her go out of kindness or anything like that. She'd simply known—she'd dealt with Aquamarine for years after all—that Aquamarine had reached her craziness cap for the day and would probably flee without her precious ship just to get away. Now that the threat had passed, Topaz was wondering if she'd even believed it was a threat in the first place. At least it had gotten rid of Aquamarine, sparing them several hours of arguing over who was going to guard her during the return trip.

“I guess my work here is done,” said Stevonnie.

They hopped off Lion. They were shaking a little, both from the adrenaline and some residual fear. They'd been wholly convinced that they were about to face their toughest adversary yet. They hadn't quite recovered enough to be relieved. Stevonnie just sat there next to Lion, aware of the sword in their hand and their rapid heartbeat. There was no need for them to exist anymore. Stevonnie wrapped their arms around themselves.

“Please don't go,” they said. “Can't we just stay like this?”

But they could already feel themselves breaking apart. It was an unpleasant feeling. They tried to hold on, tried to keep being Stevonnie. But Stevonnie was disappearing into the light that was pouring out of them. With a sigh, they gave in and let themselves break apart. There was no use fighting it. However much they wanted to, they couldn't stay forever. They only hoped they might be able to come back someday. That was all Stevonnie wanted. Just one promise that they could exist again, at least for a little while.

Steven and Connie separated, each uttering an identical cry. They landed on their backs, panting as they tried to gather their individual thoughts. It hadn't been long, but that had been quite a ride. It took a full two minutes for them to disconnect from Stevonnie and become themselves again. During those minutes, Steven sat up and inspected his body while Connie patted her hair. They briefly forgot that they'd ever been two people who'd known each other for a short time.

“That was _incredible_!” Connie finally burst out.

She jumped to her feet.

“Did you see how big we were?” she said. “It was amazing. And our hair...”

She stopped, unable to put it into words. She was a little embarrassed, as she felt like Steven had just accessed all of her innermost thoughts. But mostly she was elated. Connie realized that she was the first human in history to ever experience fusion. She'd read about it and seen it firsthand, but no amount of reading or watching had prepared her for the real thing. Connie was having trouble describing it to herself. There just weren't enough words in existence to encompass what she had experienced during those wonderful and terrifying moments.

Steven was sitting up. He felt like he'd fallen out of a dreamworld and into reality. He hadn't realized it was possible to be scared and elated at the same time. But that's how he'd felt when he—they—became Stevonnie. It was like a whole new universe opened up in front of him. Fusion didn't feel the same way he'd expected it to. It wasn't being two within one. It was more like being one created from two. Exhilarating and fear-inducing.

Jasper and Centipeedle were lying on the ground, Jasper face-down and Centipeedle on her side. Despite sustaining no injuries from the fall, neither of them had moved. Any physical damage paled in comparison to their respective mental states. Centipeedle felt like someone had hollowed her out and drained her of all essential fluids, while Jasper was simply too shattered to consider getting up.

She was never going to leave this island. Centipeedle finally came to terms with that. What was left for her out there? Nothing. She'd bruised and broken everything she'd ever cared about in her pursuit of revenge. She needed some time alone. Maybe centuries. Centipeedle needed to learn to trust herself.

“Should we help them?” said Connie.

They couldn't really help them. Their problems were too internal. Nothing they said or did could have made much of a difference. But Connie would have felt awful if she hadn't at least asked.

Steven got to his feet. He'd done a lot of thinking in the past few minutes. As his mind had melded with Connie's to form Stevonnie, he'd caught a glimpse of her thoughts. He'd seen her fears, her private desires, her insecurities. It had all been laid out before him, then hastily snatched away. Steven hadn't seen much, but he'd seen enough to fully understand why she'd decided to become a knight and why she needed him as a friend.

“We can help them by going home,” he said.

_Home_. They all needed to go home.


	28. Home Again

Amethyst stared forlornly at the ceiling. She couldn't believe they were going back. Well, of course they were always planning to return. But she couldn't believe they were returning without the others. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Somewhere along the way, something had gone terribly wrong. Amethyst just couldn't figure out what it was or if it had been her fault.

“What _happened_ , Peri?” she said.

Peridot was focused on keeping them on track, but she answered Amethyst's question.

“We went to the Agate Empire and there was no lead to be found,” she said. “Now we're returning to the Quartz Kingdom, as per instructions relayed to us by your Pearl friend. Why?”

Amethyst groaned. Peridot continued to be a less-than-favorable conversation partner. That's why they'd barely said a word to each other for most of the journey. Amethyst couldn't tell if Peridot really was awful at making conversation or if she just didn't like to talk.

“I know,” Amethyst said. “I was there. That's not what I meant.”

She rolled over onto her side, but she didn't feel anymore comfortable. She'd been changing her position over and over again, hoping to stimulate her brain. But Amethyst just got pissed at herself for not remaining still. If she moved, she felt like she shouldn't have. But if she didn't move, her mind got locked into one specific mode of thought. Amethyst couldn't win.

“What happened to the kingdom?” said Amethyst. “It used to be so...well, it was never cool.”

Peridot sighed. She didn't want to have this conversation. Truthfully, she didn't want to have any conversation. She wanted to just steer the ship and get lost in her own thoughts. But Amethyst kept talking, like she was oblivious to the unspoken agreement they'd made. Peridot wanted to ignore Amethyst, but she knew it was hopeless. The only way out was to actually engage and hope it would be over soon.

“Steven happened,” she said. “From what you've told me, his arrival made quite an impact.”

Amethyst frowned, sitting up for the first time in about an hour. Was Steven really to blame for all of this? No, he was just a kid. Granted, a half-human half-Gem hybrid related to Rose Quartz, but still a kid. He wasn't capable of this amount of influence. He couldn't have thrown everything so off balance just by showing up. But if it wasn't him, who or what had caused this chaotic aura to descend on the once peaceful kingdom? Had it always been there and Amethyst had just been oblivious?

“I just want things to go back to normal,” said Amethyst. “I want Pearl to be mad at me for leaving trash everywhere and Garnet to be all wise and in charge. Is that too much to ask?”

Peridot's digits flew across the holographic screen in front of her, tapping at shapes and drawing patterns. They were getting close. By her estimate, they had about two hours before they were in the Quartz Kingdom. Then Peridot could drop Amethyst off and make her way back to the Lazuli Lands. She had quite a story to tell Lapis, but she doubted Lapis would give her one in return. That was fine. Peridot was used to it.

“Maybe you should just “go with the flow”,” said Peridot. “Isn't that what you're always telling me to do?”

Amethyst lay on her back again, watching the ceiling as if it might tell her something. If she focused, she could hear what she thought was the ship humming. It almost sounded like a giant purring cat. It was comforting. When she focused on that hum, Amethyst felt like everything was going to be alright.

“Thanks a lot,” she said. “Real helpful, Per.”

She said it sarcastically, but Peridot's words had made her feel a little bit calmer. Amethyst let the hum carry her away.

 

* * *

  
“We're here.”

Steven nodded vaguely, but he didn't lift his head. It was unclear whether or not he'd actually heard Topaz's words. Probably not. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he was having trouble paying attention to anything going on around him. Connie had tried to get his attention twice, but she'd been idly thwarted each time. She was now sitting beside Steven, although he only slightly acknowledged her presence. However, he was happy she was there. After all that time being together, being apart just felt wrong.

He kept glancing at Jasper. She hadn't moved or said a word during the trip. He'd expected some form of protest when they were about to leave, but she'd just nodded. Steven couldn't tell if she was had just shut down for the time being and was waiting to pounce or if she had truly given up. Considering what had happened, he would have bet on the latter. They were all suffering from the weight of the events on the island.

Lapis had left without a word to any of them. Steven was quite relieved, even though he would have preferred talking to her a little before she departed. He suspected she was heading back to her island, perhaps for some much-needed contemplation. Lapis and Jasper being separated was a huge load off Steven's mind.

Lion yawned, rolling over onto his side. Home, not home. It was all the same to him. He just wanted to finish his nap.

Topaz was eager to finally get a look at the Quartz Kingdom. Forgetting all about Steven and Connie, she quickly left the ship. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. Probably something majestic. She wanted her first glimpse of the iconic kingdom to encompass all of its beauty and promise. Even if it wasn't as impressive outside of her fantasies, Topaz was always going to remember the moment she stepped foot in her new home. Yes, this was going to be her home. She felt giddy just thinking about it.

Connie touched Steven's shoulder. Unlike Steven, she'd actually heard what Topaz said. When Steven automatically turned to look at her, she gave him a little smile. She too had been almost buried in her thoughts, keyword “almost”. She'd still maintained an awareness of everything going on around her, taking note of every bit of turbulence or any slight shift. Her paranoia over them getting into another accident hadn't paid off. From what she'd felt and heard, their journey had gone smoothly. But it had definitely been stressful. She was surprised that she'd managed to fall asleep, but she distinctly remembered closing her eyes as her head fell against Steven's shoulder. Connie hoped Steven had dozed off as well.

“We're here,” she said.

She looked at Jasper, uncertain. Given what Pearl had been told, she expected a dozen armed guards to be waiting for them outside. She didn't know how Jasper would respond to this less-than-warm welcome. Despite her seemingly idle state, Jasper was still a warrior at heart. The second she so much as glimpsed a weapon, she'd go into combat mode.

Steven and Connie stood up together, her hand still on his shoulder. They just stood there for a moment, neither of them saying a word. It was hard to put their feelings into words. It was all so complicated, yet wonderful. Becoming Stevonnie, learning so much about each other, leaning on each other for support. It was almost scary.

Connie slid her hand down Steven's arm and took hold of his wrist.

“They're waiting for us,” she said.

She gently led Steven out of the ship. Connie could hear Jasper following them. Even Jasper's footsteps sounded light and defeated.

As the three of them stepped out of the ship, Connie braced herself. She still had her hand on Steven's wrist, so she couldn't grab her sword if it looked like things were going to turn bad. But if they did, whose side would she be on? If chaos descended yet again, who would she be fighting for?

_Steven of course_ , she answered her own question.

Not the Quartz Kingdom, not even Jasper. Connie was on Steven's side.

They had arrived in the small building where the Quartz Kingdom's ships were kept. Getting Aquamarine's ship into the building had been no easy task. They'd had to relocate a lot of the smaller ships—Connie had advised this to Pearl in advance—so it would fit. Even with the other ships gone, actually getting Aquamarine's behemoth of a ship into the building had been a struggle. Fortunately, Topaz had managed it. Topaz was quite the captain when she wasn't following orders.

Pearl was standing near the main entrance. She was alone, save for a lone Ruby whom Connie recognized as “Eyeball”. Eyeball looked a lot stiffer than usual, standing upright in a rather exaggerated fashion and staring straight ahead. Steven wondered if Pearl had talked to the Rubies about the whole Centipeedle thing.

“Welcome back,” said Pearl.

She forced herself to smile, but it was a poor attempt at wiping the stress from her face. She'd had quite a day. Poofing and bubbling the last of the fusion experiments, repairing any damage to the castle, coping with everything Steven and Connie had told her. Pearl hadn't so much as sat down for at least twenty-four hours.

Steven raised his hand and waved at her as they approached. His smile was more genuine, although it did fade slightly when he noticed that Greg wasn't there. He'd been looking forward to seeing his dad's face as soon as he arrived. Had Pearl even told Greg that his son was coming back?

Jasper stopped in her tracks behind Steven and Connie, her eyes narrowed in anger. She was staring over their heads, looking at Pearl with candid dislike in her eyes. While there weren't many outstanding differences between Pearls, Jasper had memorized every detail of this particular Pearl's face. After all, they'd worked together. Pearl had been Rose's right-hand Gem, one of the first to wholeheartedly agree with Rose's plan.

“ _You,_ ” Jasper growled.

Pearl calmly withdrew her spear from her gemstone.

“Yes, me,” she said.

This time Steven and Connie both rushed to intervene. They put themselves between Pearl and Jasper, forming a much more effective shield. They linked armes with each other to form an impenetrable force. Connie touched the sword, a slightly threatening gesture meant to indicate that she was ready to use it. Steven was also prepared to summon his shield at a moment's notice.

“Get out of my way,” said Pearl.

Steven shook his head and Connie again touched the hilt of her sword.

“You don't want to fight,” said Steven. “I know you're both angry, but not at each other. You're mad at yourselves. Nothing is going to change unless you stop taking everything out on each other.”

He directed that last part mostly at Jasper. He put a significant amount of force behind the words, as if daring her to disagree with him. But Steven knew she wouldn't. Jasper couldn't honestly say that her anger was reasonable and that attacking Pearl would have made a grand difference. There was always a reason for Jasper's anger, be it loyalty or something deeper. She wasn't just a mindless soldier seeking vengeance for every slight. She had feelings, some of which she didn't like to admit.

Jasper's shoulders slumped and a bitter grin spread across her face.

“Congratulations,” she said. “You've won, Rose. I lost everything and I'm at your mercy. I always knew you were better at this than I could ever hope to be.”

Steven started to remind her that he still wasn't Rose Quartz, but a voice spoke up before he could say anything.

“Jasper.”

Garnet had appeared, her arms crossed. Steven hadn't seen her in so long that he briefly didn't recognize her. She'd been so distant from his adventure that he'd nearly forgotten her existence. For some reason, she'd stayed completely out of it. Steven felt a little betrayed by her absence. He felt like she could have offered him some good advice if she'd actually bothered to get involved. Had she even been paying attention to what was going on?

Jasper clenched her fists. Her fighting spirit had started to fade, but now it was back at full force.

“If you think I'm taking orders from you, you're wrong,” she said. “As if I'd ever submit to such a shameless display.”

Garnet smiled. She'd been called a “shameless display” before, although not by Jasper. The words just bounced off her. She didn't care if her very existence went against where she came from. Garnet was happy to be herself and no amount of regurgitated Homeworld logic was going to make her feel ashamed.

“I'm not asking you to submit,” said Garnet. “But if you're going to live here, there are a few rules you'll need to follow.”

Jasper crossed her arms and smirked at Garnet.

“And who says I want to live here?” she said.

Garnet took off her sunglasses. The sight of her extra eye caused Jasper to flinch ever so slightly. Garnet tapped her third eye, grinning broadly at Jasper's uncomfortable expression.

“They always do,” she said.

Instead of putting her sunglasses back on, Garnet tossed them aside. She put a hand on her hip and turned to look at Steven and Connie, giving them an appreciative smile. This wasn't how it was meant to happen, but they had brought Jasper to the kingdom. She was proud of them. Especially Steven. Steven had achieved more than anyone had expected.

“Good job,” she said.

She turned towards the door.

“Steven, I'd like to have a word with you,” she said.

Before Steven could ask any questions, Garnet calmly walked through the door.

Steven glanced at Connie. Was he in some kind of trouble? Surely not. He hadn't done anything. Or had he? He'd lied to Pearl and intentionally covered up key facts about their adventure. Garnet had every right to be furious with him, even if he hadn't technically failed his mission.

Noting the worried look on Connie's face, Steven gave her his best reassuring smile.

“I'll be fine,” he said.

A pit growing in his stomach, Steven followed Garnet out of the building. He didn't feel like he was going to be fine.

 

* * *

 

 

The garden looked even more beautiful than it had the last time Steven was there. Everything looked so much more vibrant and alive. Steven paused on the threshold, almost afraid to follow Garnet. He was worried that his mere presence might upset the natural balance. But he eventually entered, letting himself be enveloped by the beauty of the garden.

Garnet sat down underneath the tree. She looked right at home among the breathtaking foliage. She patted the spot next to her, inviting Steven to sit down.

He hesitantly sat down beside her. Steven didn't like how quiet she'd been. She hadn't said a word to him as they walked. Garnet hadn't even turned to look at him. Steven was walking behind her, so he hadn't been able to see her face. He didn't know if she was upset, angry, or maybe both. Steven hoped he wouldn't have to broach the topic. He wasn't certain how he would approach it without making himself sound like he'd messed up.

Garnet stared straight ahead for a minute, her arms in her lap. Steven kept glancing at her, but he couldn't read her expression. Even without her eyes covered, Garnet remained an emotional enigma. He couldn't tell what was going on inside her head. Everyone else he'd met wore their emotions on their sleeves. Even Jasper had unwittingly unmasked herself. But Garnet was a mystery.

“Rose never did anything without a reason,” said Garnet. “Everything she did was for the greater good.”

Steven stared into his own lap, a guilty expression on his face. He didn't like it when Gems talked about how great his mother was. It just reminded him that he wasn't her, even though so many Gems wanted him to be for one reason or another.

“I'm never going to be like my mom,” he said. “I'm not a good leader.”

Garnet turned and looked at Steven, a faint smile on her face. She looked motherly and kind, like how Steven imagined his own mother might have looked at him.

“Rose wasn't a good leader either,” she said. “She made a lot of mistakes. Some Gems suffered because of what she did. But she tried to make it right.”

She gestured at the garden as a whole.

“She built this kingdom as an apology,” said Garnet. “A land where Gems could be free. She wanted to help those who were lost.”

Garnet looked at both her hands. Before Rose had found her, she'd been lost. She hadn't known who she was or what she was going to do with herself. She wasn't even sure she wanted to be Garnet. But then Rose had looked into her eyes and spoken those words: _“The answer to your questions is inside you.”_ That was all Garnet had needed to hear, although she hadn't realized it until those fateful words rolled off Rose's lips. So she'd looked inside herself, searching for the answer to her existence. And she'd found it. It wasn't buried. It had simply been ignored until Garnet actually looked for it.

“You don't have to be what everyone else wants you to be,” she said. “You can just be Steven Universe.”

Steven tilted his head up, staring at the branches above him. It was the most beautiful tree he'd ever seen. If it had been anywhere else, he might have considered it out of place. But it fit. It belonged to this garden, just like Steven belonged to the Quartz Kingdom.

“What if I don't want to be a leader?” he said.

Garnet shrugged and gave Steven a fond smile.

“You don't have to do anything you don't want to,” she said. “You can make your own choice. That's all your mother wanted for you.”

Steven felt like someone had turned on a light inside his chest. The massive weight that had been on his shoulders finally lifted, leaving him feeling liberated. He didn't have to be a leader. He didn't have to be a hero. He didn't have to be Rose Quartz. He could simply be Steven Universe. He'd been Steven Universe for years and it seemed to have worked out pretty well.

He ran a hand through his curls. He'd chosen this hairstyle because he thought he'd look more like his mother. Now that he realized he didn't need to be like her, Steven considered adopting a simpler hairstyle. But he quickly decided against it. He actually liked his hair. Ultimately, it didn't matter what Steven did with it. He was always going to be himself. He realized this applied to all factions of his life. No matter how he chose to proceed, he was always going to be Steven Universe. It didn't matter if he had a gemstone stuck in his belly and magic powers he didn't fully understand. These things were just part of what made him who he was. He was something new, something unique and exciting. Steven Quartz Universe.

“Did you know all this would happen?” he said.

A pained expression darted across Garnet's face.

“No,” she said. “Usually I have all the answers. I can see paths and trajectories.”

She looked away.

“I thought this was a possibility, but I couldn't see how it ended,” she said. “You almost completely evaded my future vision. I could see some things, but not enough.”

She turned back to Steven. He was startled to see that she was smiling.

“But I trusted you,” she said. “I knew you'd be able to do this.”

Garnet had essentially lied to the other Gems when she promised them Steven would be fine. She wasn't really in a position to make such a promise. But what was she supposed to say? Steven was unlike anything they'd ever seen before. For once, Garnet had been completely stumped. This inability to know everything had scared her at first, but she'd finally come to terms with it. Garnet couldn't always be in control. With Steven's arrival, Garnet was going to have to get used to being uncertain. But strangely enough, she was okay with that.

“Are you going to punish the Rubies?” said Steven.

Garnet shrugged.

“Centipeedle tricked them,” she said. “They thought they were helping the kingdom. I don't think they can be blamed for that. Some of them might not act like it, but they're glad Rose decided to take them in.”

There was something else bothering Steven, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up. However, he realized that Garnet was unlikely to take that burden from him. If he was going to get an answer, Steven had to be the one to ask the question. It was something that had popped into his head mere moments after their arrival. He'd been letting it just sit inside of his brain, waiting for the perfect moment to broach the topic. Sensing an oncoming lull in the conversation, Steven seized his chance.

“What are you going to do about all those fusion experiments?” he said. “I mean, I bet there are a lot more of them out there.”

Garnet stiffened. That was one thing she'd hoped Steven would never know about. She didn't want to outright lie to him about it, but she would have preferred it if Pearl had kept that specific truth to herself. Well, she couldn't have concealed it forever. This wasn't the first time those fusion experiments had attacked the castle. This time they'd successfully destroyed a lot of their tech, leaving them slightly defenseless. If there were anymore out there—and Garnet knew there were—it wouldn't be the last battle.

“There's nothing we can do,” she said. “We'll just have to keep poofing and bubbling them. That's all we can do for them.”

Steven frowned.

“Shouldn't we go looking for them?” he said. “They're just wandering around out there, alone and scared. Maybe we can't do much to help them, but we can put them out of their misery. We can find them and bubble as many as we can.”

Garnet put her hand on Steven's shoulder. He sounded just like his mother. At times like this, Garnet knew that Steven was exactly the kind of son Rose Quartz would have wanted.

“I'll leave that to you,” she said.

Garnet had a kingdom to run, a task that required her full attention at almost any given time. But if Steven really wanted to stay, there was so much he could do for the sake of the kingdom. She could tell just by looking at him that he wanted to be helpful, even if becoming a ruler didn't suit him. Garnet didn't need her future vision to tell her that Steven would do a great job.


	29. Under a Tree

Connie nervously shuffled her feet. She was reminded of her first training session, although it hadn't taken place in the history room. She'd just stood there, feeling very much like a scared little kid as Pearl talked about proper sword technique. It wasn't until her third or fourth session that she worked up the courage to start asking questions. Another five sessions and she was able to stop her legs from turning to jelly every time Holo-Pearl's spear came anywhere near her. Ten more and Connie was dodging like she'd been doing this all her life. Pearl never used the phrase “a natural”, but she was clearly impressed.

Now Connie was back where she started: standing in front of Pearl, her hands at her sides, an expression of nervousness on her face, her sword—the one she usually wielded, not Rose's—at her side as she awaited the bad news. Connie had been turned away at the door a dozen times when she first tried to become a knight. But through persistence and demonstration of her mediocre skills, she'd eventually been granted the chance to impress Pearl. She hadn't exactly done that with her clumsy demonstration, but Pearl had recognized Connie's spirit and chosen to give her a trial run. Connie felt like that young idealistic girl again as she waited for Pearl's verdict.

Pearl looked like a stern mother about to give her disobedient kid a lecture. She even had her hands on her hips and a severe expression affixed to her face.

It didn't matter how much Connie had told herself that she didn't care about being a knight. Truth be told, she did care. She cared more than she'd ever admit to Steven or anyone else. Connie cared so much that she was afraid her heart might split in two. How could she not care? She'd worked her ass off just to earn Pearl's respect. It was easy to forget how much she cared when she was miles away. Back in the Quartz Kingdom, the unfortunate truth hit Connie right in the gut. If Pearl said what Connie was sure she was going to say, she would probably fall to pieces.

Pearl sighed. Connie was a tough cookie with something to prove. She was exactly the kind of person who would have made an excellent knight. She had the discipline, the skill, and the drive. What more could Pearl have asked for? But alas, that wasn't how things were going to work out. She regretted it, yet there it was. The cold hard truth, laid out before her like a blanket over a bloodstain.

“I'm afraid your training has come to an end,” she said. “You are no longer my student.”

Connie bit back a protest-- _”But I brought Jasper in!”_ \--and forced herself to nod. She wanted to shout something, to make some passionate plea that would persuade Pearl to change her mind. But she kept her mouth shut. No amount of dramatics was going to help. Pearl wanted her knights to be calculating and stoic.

Pearl studied Connie's face. The face of both a scholar and a warrior. Such a rare—but much appreciated—type of person. Pearl wasn't likely to meet another Connie for another hundred years at least. Connie was truly one-of-a-kind. Pearl was going to miss her.

“However, I do have a special assignment for you,” said Pearl.

Connie perked up. A special assignment? Was Pearl messing with her or was she serious? What assignment could Pearl possibly have for a disgraced former knight-in-training?

Pearl smiled. Connie wasn't just her best and brightest human student. Connie was simply the best and brightest student Pearl had ever had. Her devotion reminded Pearl of herself thousands of years ago. Pearl too had picked up a sword in the hopes of protecting those she loved. The second she touched the hilt of that sword, Pearl knew this was what she was meant to do. It was like blood rushing through her veins, not that she knew what that felt like. Connie had gotten that same glint in her eye.

“I need you to keep Steven safe,” she said. “Can you do that?”

Little did she know that Connie had already vowed to keep Steven safe. Not as a knight of the Quartz Kingdom, but just as Connie. She was Steven's friend and someone he trusted above most others. Of course Connie was going to make sure he didn't fall heart-first into a sword.

“Yes, ma'am,” said Connie. “I'll do my best.”

Pearl let out a sigh. She had to admit that she didn't know why Rose Quartz had wanted something like this. But no matter what Pearl thought of Steven, he was Rose Quartz's son. And Rose would have wanted Pearl to keep her son safe. She would have wanted Steven to grow up kind, healthy, and loved. There wasn't much Pearl could do for a Gem who'd been gone for years, but Pearl could do a lot for Steven. She wanted to see Rose's smile again, even if it was through the eyes of her son.

Deciding Pearl's long silence meant she was dismissed, Connie hastily exited the history room. She couldn't wait to tell Steven what had happened. He was going to be so happy for her. Connie had finally found an actual friend.

 

* * *

 

 

The garden was different at night. Its beauty was enhanced instead of diminished in the moonlight, but the once inviting surroundings become rather eerie. It was like stepping into a room that had once housed a corpse. There was an unsettling feeling hanging in the air, as if something terrifying had descended over the foliage.

Steven quietly stepped into the garden. Every footstep sounded like a cannon blast in the silence, but he kept going. He knew he should have been asleep. Steven had more than earned a long stay in his bed. He could have reasonably demanded that everyone leave him alone for the next two days. But instead he was sneaking around the garden in the middle of the night, making the minimum amount of sound so he wouldn't get caught.

Steven's entire body still ached slightly from the bear hugs his dad had given him. Greg had practically refused to let go of his son for what felt like several minutes. Normally Steven would have laughed it off, but this time he'd actually cried as he hugged his father back. Neither of them knew how to vocalize all their complex emotions, so they stuck to hugging and sobbing into each other.

The garden was already occupied when Steven came in, but he didn't instantly turn around and head back into the castle. When he saw a large figure sitting under the tree, he guessed who it was. Seeing as there were few options, Steven moved closer to see if his guess was correct. The figure had their back to him, so he had to get close.

“Hi Jasper,” he said.

Steven sat down beside her. Now they were both facing the tree, Steven staring like he expected there to be some hidden story in the roots. He glanced at Jasper once, but he couldn't see her face very well in the relative darkness. But he could guess her expression based solely on what he knew about her.

Jasper didn't return his greeting. He hadn't seen her since leaving the little building. Steven had only just begun to wonder where she could have disappeared to when he got swept up in what would be one of many bear hugs. Had Jasper been in the garden this entire time? If so, Steven wished he'd visited sooner. He felt partially responsible for the fact that she was allowed to wander around unsupervised. He'd insisted that she just be left alone and Garnet had backed him up. Steven hoped Garnet's approval meant her future vision had confirmed Jasper as mostly harmless.

“I gave her my everything,” said Jasper. “Now she's gone and I have nothing.”

The irony was biting. When she found out that Pink Diamond was using the shards of her fallen comrades for fusion experiments, the feeling of betrayal had cut right through Jasper's gem. Then the anger set in, a sort of deep cloying animosity that just kept building. It only got worse when she fused with Lapis. Suddenly the flood gates were open and Jasper was struggling to keep her head above water as the bitterness overwhelmed her. She eventually let herself sink, her feet planting themselves on the cold floor of her own ocean. She could feel the shackles around her ankles, but Jasper didn't care. She could accept being tied to Malachite for the rest of her life if it meant she got her revenge.

But when her vengeance finally came to pass, it was like waking up from a thousand-year sleep. Staring through her own eyes at the remains of what had once been her Diamond, Jasper had no longer felt righteous. Jasper hated it. She hated how she could still love someone like Pink Diamond. She hated knowing that she might never get over it. Now that she'd put thousands of years between herself and Pink Diamond, Jasper didn't feel particularly better. She felt like she was falling into some kind of suspended state over and over again, only waking up when someone decided to poke the bear. This was life without her beloved Diamond. This was life after finding out what kind of Diamond she'd been serving.

“I don't even have a purpose,” Jasper went on. “How can I even call myself a Quartz soldier?”

Steven smiled into his lap. Hadn't he said something similar to that—rephrased in various ways—several times throughout his adventure? How could Steven call himself Rose Quartz's son? He sort of understood how he was able to do that, even if he wasn't everything the other Gems expected Rose Quartz's son to be. Jasper's intricate feelings were beyond him and he wasn't going to try to tell her she'd done the right thing when she might not believe him. But he understood where her hopeless attitude had come from and why she'd completely given up.

“You're not a Quartz soldier,” said Steven. “You're Jasper. “You can do whatever you want.”

He paused, debating asking her a question he wasn't certain she could answer. But he chose to give it a shot. It was something Steven was sure Rose had asked every Gem in the Quartz Kingdom at least once and he decided he should continue the tradition. Steven wanted Jasper to feel at home.

“What do you want to do?” he said.

Instead of answering Steven's question, Jasper asked one of her own.

“What are you going to do with those monsters?” she said.

It took Steven a minute to realize that she meant the fusion experiments. The terminology seemed a little harsh to him, but he understood why Jasper referred to them that way. They were monsters, although certainly not by choice. Confused and violent, compelled only by a raw instinct to lash out. Their thoughts fractured as they desperately tried to find their form in the cacophony. Did they even have thoughts anymore? Could they see, could they feel? Steven tried not to think about what it was like for them.

“Poof and bubble them,” said Steven. “We can't do much more.”

Jasper nodded like she'd expected that. She continued not to look at Steven, her eyes locked on the tree. She'd never seen a tree like that before. Her initial opinion had been that it was too flashy, but sitting in front of it for hours had forced her to realize its beauty. Jasper begrudgingly admitted that the entire garden was nice to look at. The Diamond Republic certainly hadn't had any gardens. It had mostly been statues and interconnected diamond-shaped patches of land.

“You think you can help them?” she said.

Steven hesitated. _Help them?_ He thought about those creatures and their scattered minds. Bits and pieces stuck together and forced to make sense of the endless noise that had become their existence. Was there anything left to help? But of course there was something. Steven had seen it that day in the forest. These creatures were still able to form and move around, despite their altered state of being. Steven wasn't sure any of them remembered who they'd been prior to being shattered.

“Maybe,” he said.

Anything was possible, right? Maybe not right then, but in a few thousand years. Perhaps Peridot and Pearl could combine their skills to create some revolutionary technology capable of un-shattering a gemstone. Granted, that seemed like a far-fetched concept. But Steven chose to hope.

Jasper nodded. She didn't have much hope, but she let herself be swayed by Steven's tone.

Steven was starting to nod off. He'd had a big day and tomorrow promised to be just as big. So many things needed to be discussed and settled. For one, the details of Steven's official move into the castle hadn't been finalized. Steven was getting his own large bedroom in an unused wing. He wasn't sure where Greg planned to live, but he could make a few guesses. Greg wasn't a big fan of all this magic stuff and he'd most likely prefer being far away from it, especially after the incident with Pearl and the fusion experiments. His van seemed a lot safer than the castle.

Pearl had offered Steven the chance to become her student. Connie had done her best, but Pearl thought Steven could benefit from some more professional training. He needed to get a better grasp on his magic, particularly how to use it voluntarily. She also wanted to help Stevonnie become more comfortable with being and fighting as a fusion. Garnet would probably help with the first part. It was going to be a busy day.

Steven's eyes started to droop. If he took the right routes, his bed wouldn't be too far away. But in his tired state, he doubted he could navigate the castle. Steven didn't even want to try, but he also didn't want to simply fall asleep. Maybe he'd just close his eyes for a few minutes. Yes, that sounded perfect. Just a few minutes of rest and he'd feel up to traversing all those empty hallways.

Jasper barely flinched as Steven's head fell against her side. She wanted to raise a hand and shove him away, but she didn't budge. If she woke him up, he'd probably want to keep talking to her. Jasper wasn't in the mood for a boisterous conversation.

Steven had asked her what she wanted to do. That question no longer had a singular answer. What did she want? Very recently, it had been revenge. Then she'd wanted to find meaning and purpose after having lost it long ago. At the moment, she kind of wanted to be left alone. But Steven wasn't going to leave her alone, was he? He seemed to be under the impression that they were friends—whatever the hell that meant—just because she hadn't crushed him like an ant. But they weren't friends and Jasper was going to make sure it stayed that way. They were reluctant allies, maybe not even that.

Still, it was due to Steven that Rose Quartz wasn't around anymore. Gems who were much stronger than him had tried and failed to take Rose down, but Steven had done it without even thinking. It was like if Jasper had shattered an enemy Gem right after she popped out of the ground. It was impressive. Maybe Steven wasn't the weak excuse for a warrior she'd initially seen him as. Maybe there were things she could learn from him. Perhaps someday he'd tell her the secrets behind his creation.

Jasper stared at the tree, her eyes burning with tears. This garden really was beautiful.


End file.
